Not too long ago the best way for the city to communicate with residents during an emergency was through traditional news media. In today’s world, that’s changed. We have a whole new set of tools at our disposal, including a regional emergency alert system and social media. In August, the city was able to put many of these into action when a portion of Poway Road was shut down for most of the day due to a law enforcement investigation.
Whether it’s a large-scale evacuation due to fire or a small-scale disruption of water service, here’s a quick guide to keeping informed during emergencies of all scopes and sizes:
- AlertSanDiego. This is the county’s “reverse 911” emergency notification system and our primary resource for contacting you in an event that needs your immediate attention, such as an evacuation due to fires. All landlines are automatically a part of this database, but by registering your email/cell, you won’t miss a notification if you’re away from home.
- Nextdoor. The city joined Nextdoor this summer to share information when there’s an issue or situation that affects our residents. As a public agency, we can tailor messages to select neighborhoods or the entire community. During emergencies, Nextdoor (as well as Twitter) will be your most updated source for news about road closures, impacted neighborhoods and more.
- Twitter. Twitter isn’t for everyone, but it certainly is one of the quickest methods for getting the word out during “breaking news” situations. In the event of a disaster or other emergency situation, the city will continuously post updates on its Twitter account @cityofpoway. You don’t need to be a Twitter user to follow along. Just click on the Twitter icon at the top of the www.poway.org website and search @cityofpoway.
- Facebook. Facebook is the world’s most used social media platform, and its accessibility makes it a valuable resource for getting the word out during an emergency. If you’ve signed up to follow the city on Facebook, make sure you select to receive notifications from the page so that you can keep up to date with information as it’s posted.