City of T.O. launches a new emergency alert system

Residents who would like to get notification—in the form of a phone call, fax, text message, page or email—from City Manager Scott Mitnick when there's an emergency can sign up now at the city's website.

The T.O. City Alert system, a telephonebased emergency notification system, will cost the city about $50,000 for the next three years, said Grahame Watts, public works operations manager.

The system already contains the 911 database of local land line telephone numbers, he said.

"Now we need people to go online at the city's website to verify that information and add . . . other ways they would like to be contacted in an emergency," Watts said.

About 1,000 people have already added to the information. Watts hopes about 126,000 more will follow.

"Clearly this will take time," he said.

Watts also said that not everyone will want to be notified by the city because they don't understand how the government will use the information.

"We want to emphasize that calls will be made sparingly and only when there is a major emergency," Watts said.

He cited fires, earthquakes or severe weather as examples of when calls would be made. He also said that in cases such as street closures, which would affect only one neighborhood, only that area would be be notified.

"We wouldn't be calling people to let them know when there would be garage sales or anything like that," Watts said.

To provide the city with additional contact information, visit www.toaks.org.

Residents can manage their city alert profile online, controlling contact methods and communication preferences, Watts said.

"The core responsibility of local government is public safety. The T.O. City Alert system furthers this mission by allowing us to reach all residents quickly during an emergency," Mayor Tom Glancy said.