Middlefield Installing Emergency Alert System

Town officials learned last year how important it is to notify residents of an emergency.

As a result, Middlefield will soon have an emergency alert system to notify residents of an impending storm, school closings or even a propane leak similar to an incident that forced evacuations in Killingworth last weekend.

Brian Dumas, the town's emergency management director has been busy installing the Everbridge Alert System which allows officials to send out alerts through cell phones, land-line phones and email.

"It's not 100 percent complete but it can be used if we have an emergency," said Dumas.

Everbridge is already being used by the Town of Durham and Regional School District 13, which means that some families in Middlefield are signed up to receive alerts.

Dumas said he hoped to have the system up and running soon but acknowleged that some residents might not want to be included in the alerts. Signing up is optional, he said.

"We used the Everbridge system twice last year and people called and said they really appreciated it," said First Selectman Jon Brayshaw.

Middlefield finance board chairman Lucy Petrella said the system costs about .80 cents per household.

"It's such a critical piece. You can't beat it," she said.