CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

City Announces AlertOC Mass Notification Test Call

Orange County officials will test its emergency notification system at 10 a.m. Thursday, when 2.2 million residents will get an AlertOC call.

The regional test is the third annual test of the system and has been scheduled to coincide with the National Preparedness Month, according to a county online post.

“The test will will replicate a large scale, multi-jurisdictional emergency requiring thousands of numbers to be called simultaneously across 24 cities and unincorporated areas,” according to the county release. “The phone message will urge all residents to prepare for real-life emergencies by registering their contact information at www.AlertOC.com for the best chance to receive vital, timely information when away from home.”

Officials urge residents to register more than one contact method for a specific address.

“This enables landlines, cell phones and e-mail addresses to be incorporated into a single notification system and increases the potential of reaching the greatest number of community members as rapidly as possible,” the county statement said. “Emergencies can happen at any time. A wildfire could spread or a flood could close the roads to a neighborhood while residents are away from home. In these instances, AlertOC is a critical link for residents to immediately learn of any required actions.”

The test call will test the system’s procedures and will remind residents to sign up. In Newport Beach, all listed primary landlines will be included and will get a call that will last less than a minute, the city’s website states. Primary business lines are included in the system but won’t get test calls this year.

Newport Beach residents can register, update information or add up to three phone numbers and two email addresses. Emergency information then can be emailed or texted. There also are options for residents who are hearing impaired. To sign up, click here. If you have signed up for call-blocking services, you can add (949) 644-3620 to an approved number list in order to receive emergency calls.