Problem Solver
Have a problem and it seems like no one can help? Then put News13’s Problem Solver to work for you. We do more than just report problems, we work hard to help find solutions. News13’s Jerry Brown uses his journalistic experience to get you answers. See what Jerry has done for other Panhandle residents who needed help. Click below for past and present Problem Solver Stories.
jbrown@wmbb.com
Monday, June 30, 2008
Bay County Emergency Alert System Update
We all want to be kept up to date on threatening weather and other emergencies especially here in the panhandle. There is a notification system in place, but can it be improved? I got an email from a Panama City Beach resident concerned that there are no sirens or reverse 911 to warn of threatening weather. So, is our present alert system the best it can be? I checked it out and got answers to that question and how the present system is being expanded in this News 13 Problem Solver report.
“The taxpayers have already paid for an alert system through the National Weather service,” that according to Chief Mark Bowen, Bay County’s Emergency Operations Director. The Chief says in addition to media reports, a weather alert radio is an excellent way to stay informed. Chief Bowen also says, “if a tornado warning were issued specifically for Bay County, this (weather alert) radio would automatically come on… there would be an alert tone similar to what you hear when a smoke detector goes off.”
The Chief says a 2005 study revealed that weather sirens for the county would not be cost effective. He says, “first, if you hear a siren go off, what is it? How do you know what it is? So, when we looked at other systems besides telling people to buy NOAA weather radios, we found in order to have the type of info you can get from this radio, to be able to broadcast that to effect wide numbers of people it is very expensive.”
Chief Bowen says make sure the weather radio has the “SAME” feature…Specific Area Message Encoding. It enables the user to narrow the weather alert to a smaller area.
Bay county is getting some help in alerting the public on emergencies. The assistance comes in eight electronic billboards owned by Lamar Advertising.
According to Lamar’s Panama City General Manager Claire Sherman, “when seconds count we can have it up to the board within minutes. And it is so critical that we can offer this service.”
Sherman says use of the boards is free to Bay County and Chief Bowen will coordinate the emergency messages that will be displayed on the Lamar billboards.
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