City council officials in Downey, California, proclaimed September National Preparedness Month to encourage residents and other community members to prepare for emergencies more effectively.
According to a recent report by the Downey Patriot, several incidents and other emergencies have occurred in the area to warrant the need for greater emergency preparedness.
"Communications during an emergency and immediately after an emergency can be very problematic," said the news provider's Mark Satuer. "Typically cell phones and landlines do not work well for an hour or two, or more. We should all have a back up communication plan."
Some of the ways Downey has improved its emergency response infrastructure is through reverse 9 1 1 calls to notify residents of missing children, environmental information, post-disaster communication and police responses, added Satuer.
Disasters, violence, crime and other emergencies occur across the country. Emergency notification systems from Omnilert are used by millions of subscribers nationwide. The solution increases communication capabilities of community members and city officials to make sure all parties are updated regarding escalating situations.