Phone system to warn Colorado county citizens
The network can make up to 2,304 calls a minute, playing a recorded message to inform people in emergency situations
Adams County has become the second Colorado county to sign a contract to
install an advanced telephone system that will warn residents about natural
disasters, wildfires, chemical spills, hostage situations or other emergencies.
The Emergency Preparedness Network can make 2,304 calls per minute,
using a prerecorded message to inform Adams County's 300,000 residents about
emergencies and any provide information to help protect their lives and
property. Boulder County signed a contract earlier this month.
The messages can be sent to pinpointed areas — such as all homes within
a three-block radius of an accident — or to the entire community. The system
calls all phone numbers in an area, including nonlisted numbers. If the
system cannot get an answer phone line, it will call the number again up
to three times.
The system also allows "preplanned events" to be programmed into the
system for emergency-prone areas, such as areas susceptible to floods or
tornadoes.
The EPN uses US West's telephone database and SCC Communications Corp.'s
emergency warning system.