Sheriff encouraging registration for Alert Oconee

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications and E-911 Division, in partnership with Oconee County Emergency Services and Twenty First Century Communications, Inc., has instituted a regional notification system that will be able to send telephone notifications to residents and businesses within Oconee County impacted by, or in danger of being impacted by, an emergency or disaster. This system, called Alert Oconee, will be used by emergency response personnel to notify those homes and businesses at risk with information on the event, explains Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Jimmy Watt. “The system utilizes the region’s 9-1-1 database, provided by the local telephone companies, and thus is able to contact land-line telephones whether listed or unlisted. It is TTY/TDD capable. Because the system uses the 9-1-1 database, only landline numbers are in the system. If you have a Voice over IP or cellular telephone and would like to be notified over that device, or if you would like an email notification, you must register those telephone numbers and/or email address for use by the system.” It is very easy to register for Alert Oconee, adds Watt.  “To register your VoIP, cellular telephone or email address, visit www.alertoconee.com. Each number and email provided will be added to the regional database. You will receive a confirming email message to the address entered below once you have successfully registered with Alert Oconee. The telephone number you register below will be called only when the address it is associated with is impacted by a disaster or emergency.”