Be Informed, Stay Informed + Inform
Be Informed
For Emergency Notification
Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a national public warning system that requires broadcasters, cable television systems, wireless cable systems, satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) providers, and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers to provide the communications capability to the President to address the American public during a national emergency. The system also may be used by state and local authorities to deliver important emergency information, such as AMBER alerts and weather information targeted to specific areas. No registration is required.
REVERSE 911® is a communications solution that uses a patented combination of database and GIS mapping technologies to deliver outbound notifications through landlines and cell-phones. In case of an emergency, the Providence Emergency Management Agency can quickly target a precise geographic area of the City and saturate it with thousands of notification calls per hour. The system's interactive technology provides immediate interaction with call recipients and aids in rapid response to specific needs of the community (your regular house phone is already part of this system and there is no need to add that number here). Cell phones users are encouraged to register.
FLASHbrief is an instantaneous, Internet-based, mass alert notification system. It is specifically designed for municipal areas to relay both ADVISORY and EMERGENCY alerts to citizens' computers in a matter of seconds. FLASHbrief's state of the art software securely harnesses the power of the Internet to bring a new level of emergency communication capability to residents of entire metropolitan populations. Registration is required.
For Emergency Warning
NOAA Weather Radio transmitters broadcast on one of seven VHF frequencies from 162.400 MHz to 162.550 MHz. The broadcasts cannot be heard on a simple AM/FM radio receiver. There are many receiver options, however, ranging from handheld portable units which just pick up Weather Radio broadcasts, to desktop and console models which receive Weather Radio as well as other broadcasts.
Port of Providence Emergency Siren Warning System (PPESWS) is a four-siren outdoor warning system that sends an audible tone to get the attention of residents, visitors and business owners, verbal messages are transmitted over loud speakers after the alert tone is sounded.
Stay Informed
Emergency Orientated Web Sites
Providence Emergency Management Agency
Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
National Weather Service
For Social Media Notifications
Twitter
PEMA is @PEMA591 the official twitter site for Providence Emergency Management Agency + Office of Homeland Security.
RIEMA is @RhodeIslandEMA. Prevention, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery for Rhode Island Governments and Citizens
FEMA Region 1 is @femaregion1. This channel provides FEMA mission-related information. For emergencies, call your local fire/EMS/police or 9-1-1.
FEMA is @FEMA the official twitter site that provides FEMA mission-related information. For emergencies, call your local fire/EMS/police or 9-1-1.
PEMA has a Facebook account titled: Providence Emergency Management Agency
NOAA Storm Prediction Center is on Facebook.
From your Mobile Device
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
National Weather Service (NWS)
Inform
The "first-responder" to most any incident is you or your neighbor. In order for the City to mount a quicker, more efficient response to fast breaking incidents is to use social media reporting straight from the street - that's you and your cell phone!
The primary tool we have chosen for this is Twitter. We monitor twitter feeds, mentions from many followers. In an emergency the amount of raw information can be overwhelming. To reduce this information overload we encourage those residents that inform us to use #HASHTAGS. What follows is our #HASHTAG Matrix for Providence.
|
Event Tag (choose 1 or more) |
Main Category Tag (choose only 1) |
|
Lead all events with #PVD Examples FLOODING FIRE POWER OUTAGE |
#need After main category tag, write what is needed/offered or damaged, etc. |
|
Location Tag (always include if you have location info) |
Other Data Tags (choose as many as you need and can fit) |
|
#loc location info # To add location, type #loc, then write your location information, then end with another tag symbol OR add location anywhere in tweet in lat, long form: OR enable geo-location on your phone and Twitter client settings for locating the tweet where you are. |
#contact After data tags, write the info that goes with these tags… |
1. Include an Event Tag
2. Include one main category tag
3. Include location info like this… #loc location info #
4. Include as many other data tags as you need and can fit.
Example Tweets:
#offer diapers, paper towels, clothing, water at #loc 817 S. Main. #PVDFlood #contact 401-623-7927. #providence
MT @calebhays: #loc Blood Center at PP Mall #need desperate need of type o blood. Rhode Island hospitals accepting all types. #providence
#contact @JasonDotson #details friends looking for a nursing home resident #missing Alice Lindsey #providence #RI