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A Resolution of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, calling on the administration to institute and implement a Reverse 9-1-1 early warning emergency system for advanced warning of emergencies and alerts within Allegheny County by Calendar Year 2006.
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WHEREAS, on September 17, 2004, Hurricane Ivan struck large areas of Allegheny County and the flooding associated with the hurricane affected numerous, discrete areas of the County in a relatively quick time, and the local police and safety personnel were not able to provide sufficient warning to the individuals potentially affected, which led to many citizens becoming trapped in the flood, risking life and safety; and
WHEREAS, there were also many stories of citizens watching television when the flood waters literally entered their homes, and no warnings through the emergency broadcast system were made, and the other media used in the County to provide warnings was insufficient to alert the citizens of Allegheny County of the potential flooding; and
WHEREAS, historically, when an emergency or disaster struck Allegheny County, it was not always possible to implement and execute sufficient warning alerts for all of the individuals who may be affected, and Allegheny County also from time to time experiences conditions such as road or bridge closings, adverse weather conditions, and health hazards such as chemical spills or drinking water quality issues, that create a need to notify large segments of the County's population as efficiently and rapidly as possible; and
WHEREAS, Allegheny County currently has a professional 9-1-1 emergency system, however, the current 9-1-1 system does not have the possibility of advanced early warning through their system; and
WHEREAS, it is now technologically possible to create a cost-effective computerized, integrated telephone number database and GIS mapping tool that would allow the County to initiate automated telephone calls to hundreds or thousands of individuals in a very short time in order to provide them with warnings of adverse conditions or other notices; and
WHEREAS, it is the desire of County Council to continue to improve the County's ability to safeguard its residents to all extents practicable;
The Council of the County of Allegheny hereby resolves as follows:
SECTION 1.
Allegheny County Council supports a Reverse 9-1-1 systems, and calls on the Administration to institute and implement such a system within Allegheny County by 2006.
SECTION 2. If any provision of this Resolution shall be determined to be unlawful, invalid, void or unenforceable, then that provision shall be considered severable from the remaining provisions of this Ordinance which shall be in full force and effect.
SECTION 3. Any Resolution or Ordinance or part thereof conflicting with the provisions of this Ordinance is hereby repealed so far as the same affects this Ordinance.
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