The City is going to do a test notification on Tuesday, February 14th .  It is only a test and you do not need to evacuate when you get the message!!!!!!

Emergency Notification System

The City of Sarasota uses Rapid Notify as its Emergency Notification System provider.  These systems are often referred to as “Reverse 911” and can alert residents and provide important information during emergency events.  The system is able to send high-speed emergency messages to pre-determined geographic areas over communication platforms such as e-mail, telephone, cell phone, SMS text message, pager and PDA.  If the system calls your phone and receives a busy signal it will make two additional attempts to contact you.  If you have an answering machine the system will leave a message.

The use of this technology enables the City of Sarasota to contact a large number of residents in a very short period of time. The Rapid Notify system has proven worthwhile in providing critical emergency information during events such as a hurricanes, flooding, other severe weather occurrences and water service outages.   Currently the system utilizes commercial phone data to contact residents.  Residents who have terminated their land line and only use a cellular phone may not be included in the calling list.  If you are interested in voluntarily registering one or more of your wireless devices with the City of Sarasota you can do so by clicking on the link below and filling out the requested information.  The sign up for Rapid Notify is free, however you may be charged by your cell phone provider for incoming calls and/or data.

Click on this link to sign-up:

http://sarasotagov-com.gowest1.gowesthosting.com/ENS.cfm