Phones across Orange County rang and buzzed Tuesday, testing a new notification system that could provide vital updates in case of an emergency.
Authorities say the test of Alert OC is an important one; a trial run for the system to see how it handles and completes more than two million calls, text messages and emails to residents of the entire county.
The initial calls are targeted to landline phones, all of which receive a call. Cell phones and email addresses have to registered on the Alert OC website.
Officials are encouraging residents to sign up, and that better data on those cell phone numbers will soon be available to add.
"Technology is developing and we are going to be able to zero in on all cell phones in a certain area," said Donna Boston, director of the Orange County Emergency Operations Center. "It's not perfect, but we are getting there."
Just last week resident Lucille Cruz got a phone call, then an email from the system. Hers were two of a handful of alerts sent directly to those who live or work in Silverado Canyon, scorched by a large brush fire over two days.
The emergency system was in full swing throughout last week's fire.
"As a librarian, it's important because its accurate information," Cruz said.
A total of 25 cities began automatically dialing Tuesday morning, but not all the calls went through. Nearly 100,000 phones have been disconnected or stopped working since the last emergency test.
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Todd Curfman expects his store's phone to ring when a flood or fire is on the horizon, and he hopes others take notice.
"I think if everybody registers and gets a heads up, they'll know what's going on," he said.
"Just living in the canyon, you always have to be prepared."
