Posted by Dennis Herrick on December 30, 2009 at 10:01:54:
Another AP puff piece. The only thing missing are comments from Unitil Executive Todd Black.
We demand more. Unitil needs to be investigated in NH and fined.
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December ice storm prompts N.H. legislation
2008 ice storm prompts reverse 911
Pickpocket Road in Exeter was closed and its residents, like Chris Davies at 20 Pickpocket Road, were still without power and resorted to heating his home with his fireplace, on during the 2008 ice storm.
Scott Yates/syates@seacoastonlinBy KATHY McCORMACK
Associated Press
December 29, 2009 2:00 AM Last December's ice storm left many New Hampshire residents without power — several in the Exeter area for as long as two weeks clamoring for the smallest bit of information.
With that memory still fresh, legislators will consider a bill that would allow the state to send residents automated phone messages about pending ice storms, tornadoes, flooding or other emergencies.
A bill coming up for a vote in the House on Jan. 6, would create a computerized system that could handle a large number of prerecorded calls to land lines and cell phones. It could place calls to people statewide or focus on a specific part of the state.
After the Dec. 11, 2008 ice storm, almost 150,000 Seacoast Unitil and Public Service of New Hampshire customers were without power for days.
The ice caused telephone poles and trees to snap like matchsticks blocking streets and leaving residents stranded. Hard-hit areas in Exeter were Pickpocket Road, Ashbrook Road and Drinkwater Road.
The biggest complaint by area residents centered on the lack of information provided by their town, the state or utility company.
State Rep. Donna Schlachman, D-Exeter, who spoke with the caveat that she had not yet read the full bill, said it sounds like an "on target" response to complaints of area residents following the December storm, particularly concerning the lack of communication.
"Many people were saying, 'We are hardy people, we can deal with power outages, but we need to know what we are facing. When we don't know, we can't plan and the emotional and physical costs are much higher,'" she said. "The ability to tell people this is what's going on around you and this is what you can expect helps everybody deal with the situation better."
The system has the support of Gov. John Lynch, and has been recommended by the House Science, Technology and Energy Committee. If passed, officials believe New Hampshire would be the first to have a statewide "reverse 911" system. Some cities and counties in the nation with greater populations have similar setups.
"This would be one way to notify people," said committee Chairwoman Naida Kaen. "Nothing would be surefire, but every little thing we can do to make it better to tell more people should improve the situation.
"In an ice storm, it would be helpful if people in a particular area could be notified that the expectation is that it's going to be three or four days (without power), so they can make plans," Kaen said.
The state already has a database of land-line telephone numbers.
"In the case of land-lines, they can opt out," Kaen said. "In the case of cell phones, they can opt in."
She said telecommunications providers were concerned that more would be expected of them than they could deliver and that the system could possibly break down if there's a huge demand for service all at once.
State officials believe they have addressed those concerns.
"We think we can do it," said Earl Sweeney, assistant commissioner of the state Department of Safety.
He said only a dozen communities in New Hampshire have adopted the "reverse 911" systems. He said a statewide system would cost about $804,000 for the computer software and hardware, and there shouldn't be any ongoing expenses.
"It's costly for communities to do it by themselves," he said. "The advantage of having it done centrally is that the computer can stage the calls so they don't take down the system."
Sweeney said the only part of the legislation the department would like to see changed would be to have cell phone users "opt out" rather than in.
"We feel if you're out here traveling from, let's say Indiana, and you have a cell phone you wouldn't know you can opt in and receive emergency messages," Sweeney said. "So if the dam is flooding or the highway closing or something like that, you wouldn't know about it because you wouldn't have that option."