Town to Implement New Alert System

Hampton residents will soon be able to get free up-to-minute alerts about road closures and changes to recycling and trash pickups as part of a new automated municipal alert system.

Selectmen discussed the idea Monday, heralding free push e-mail and reverse 9-1-1 phone systems as two ways the town can improve the dissemination of "public convenience"-related information like utility outages and other non-crime and fire alerts, according to Selectman Dick Nichols.

Nichols said residents used to get "all their information" from newspapers, although he said "times have changed" and many individuals seek live updates about what is going on around them. 

The town already posts public works and utility alerts on its website — which was overhauled this week to improve its layout and capabilities — although Nichols said people have to check for that. Getting something sent directly to your e-mail or phone would ensure the information reaches the largest audience possible, he said.

"I think most of it will be DPW-driven," said Nichols. "I think one of the things that prompted this to me is I can't tell you how many times on DPW-type stuff [residents have called me] and said, 'I wish I had known that.'"

School Administrative Unit 90 has a similar system already in place for school alerts. Nichols said the district has about 1,200 subscribers and the program costs the district about $4,200 a year, or $3.50 per subscriber.

Nichols said he sees the system — which would include an automated phone alert so people without Internet can still get information — as an important tool, especially as the new trash and recycling procedures kicking in Friday. He estimated only about one message would be sent out each week, and that residents could "opt out" if they don't find it useful.

Selectmen said the implementation and oversight would be easy. Selectman Ben Moore suggested the Hampton Town Clerk's Office help collect e-mails and numbers from residents during regular daily business in order to populate the subscriber list.

Patch will have more information about the new alert system(s) as soon as possible.