Augusta, Maine, Rolls Out New Emergency Alert System

One of the most important duties that officials have during an emergency situation is the dissemination of information.

Friday’s manhunt in Augusta is a good example of this.

On Friday, many Augusta residents were shocked to get an emergency message on their smartphones.

Personally, I assumed it was just a test, and was not even going to look at it. But something told me that it could be legit because of when it popped up on my phone.  In this case, it was a real emergency alert.

Without giving a reason, the message explained that police were instituting a shelter-in-place order for the 600 block of Riverside Drive in Augusta.  We were later informed that the lockdown had been put in place because police were in the process of searching the area for a man who was considered armed and dangerous.

One of the issues with the alert was that it did not go to everyone.  While I spoke with many people who did get it, I also know of several people who never received the alert.

Additionally, I know of some people who received a 1 a.m. Saturday morning robocall updating them on the situation.  I never received that call.

The City of Augusta’s solution

While the city has been using an alert system for a number of years, they have made the switch to a new system called Smart911.

The new system seems much more robust than the previous notification system.  In addition to weather alerts and information about emergencies, the new system allows the city to send out messages about warming shelters, cooling shelters, city council updates, changes in the trash removal schedule, and more.  Users can also choose which types of alerts they want to receive.

A post on the city’s Facebook page says, in part:

Please be advised that this new Citizen Alert System requires all users to opt in. Your information from the previous system will not be automatically transferred to the new platform. We encourage all residents to register as soon as possible to ensure you do not miss out on important updates.

 

If you are an Augusta, Maine, resident, you can sign up HERE.