Stone Harbor Emergencies

Emergencies Will Bring New Ring In Stone Harbor
3/29/2006
Cape May County Herald

STONE HARBOR - When storms barrel up the coast, flood sirens will still wail, but many phones will also ring in a matter of minutes.

Thanks to computer automation, for six cents a call, all 3,000-borough residents can be alerted within eight minutes, under a contract approved March 21 by borough council.

The voluntary "opt in" program with Global Connect of Mays Landing will be open to all property owners. It will enable those who provide a phone number, which will not be used for any other purpose, to be alerted when Emergency Management Director Roger Stanford declares an emergency.

Residents will get further information on the program in an upcoming newsletter, said Administrator Kenneth Hawk.

"It utilizes Internet technology. That's how they can do it so cheaply," he explained.

"Your privacy is secure," he added. "It will not be used to send political messages.

"It's a neat program that will really help a lot of people in low-lying areas," Hawk noted. "It's persistent. If you don't answer, it will leave a message on an answering machine."

The resolution states that the cost "is minimal, amount to less than $200 for a notification which would telephone every property in the borough."

The contract was awarded without public bid, because, "in aggregate, the total cost of the contract is expected to be less than $1,000," the resolution states.

Contact Campbell at (609) 886-8600 Ext 28 or: al.c@cmcherald.com