KINGWOOD, W.Va. — Preston County residents can now sign up for free emergency notifications and service announcements.
At a training session last week, representatives of the Preston County Assessor’s Office, sheriff’s department and local water boards attended training on the Wireless Emergency Notification System.
Users can receive notifications by text, voice or email on cell phones or land lines.
Participants at the training were taught how to send emergency alerts and general notifications to each other and to those signed up for the service.
Users can choose who to receive messages from. For example, you can sign up to receive notifications from all of the county fire departments or just your local department. You also have a choice of which weather alerts to receive.
By using the system, public service districts will be able to notify customers when there is a boil water alert or if service is temporarily unavailable due to repairs. County floodplain Coordinator Clark Nicklow said only two water services registered so far, Denver and Tunnelton. Other public service districts are in the process of inputting information on the system.
Users do not have to live in Preston County. For example, someone in Baltimore could put in a Preston County address of property owned or where a relative lives and receive alerts applicable to that address.
To sign up for the emergency notification program, go to www.preston911.com and click on “sign up.”
Story by Jeniffer Graham