Calif. county chooses reverse 911 for tsunami warning
From the Santa Maria Times: A tsunami warning that led to evacuations for coastal communities and campgrounds in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties Friday served as a successful trial for a more serious emergency, officials said after the danger passed.
The early morning alert prompted immediate activation of San Luis Obispo County’s Tsunami Emergency Plan, which brought officials from various county and state agencies together to take action.
The Sheriff’s Department also implemented its reverse 911 system early in the morning. The system automatically calls people’s landline telephones to give them a recorded warning of local emergencies. Sheriff’s officials estimate that thousands of calls were made. Deputies also went door-to-door in Oceano and Cayucos to notify people of the voluntary evacuation, Parkinson said.
Officials made the decision not to use the county’s early warning siren system, although it was considered, because there was plenty of time to notify people.
