New sign will help in an emergency Councilors feel text messaging would ignore some residents

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June 6, 2008

By Eric Parry

DERRY — The Derry Fire Department will purchase a portable message sign this month that will alert residents of information during an emergency like a flood.

Fire Chief George Klauber made a request for the sign last year but at the Town Council meeting on June 3 he said he'd rather use a text messaging system combined with permanent signs around town to alert residents of an emergency instead. He requested the Town Council fund those methods using money from this year's budget but the council disagreed saying that may neglect some residents.

Klauber said the Fire Department conducted a study in the last year headed by Deputy Chief Michael Gagnon that asked residents how they would like to be notified if there was an emergency. The majority of the survey's participants were from several community groups mailing lists. It was sent to about 3,000 residents and fewer than 1,000 participated, according to Klauber.

The Fire Department requested the portable sign last year and $15,000 was funded in the current year's budget because the one portable sign owned by the town wasn't adequate during the spring floods in 2006 and 2007.

Instead of the portable sign, Klauber said the survey showed residents preferred to be notified through text messages sent on cell phones and an AM radio station that is currently being installed. The radio station should be online next month, Klauber said.

"We thought the money would be more wisely spent in that way," Klauber said.

But Councilor Brent Carney said he was surprised at Klauber's request since last year they were told it was imperative that the Fire Department purchase the portable sign.

"Last year we were told we couldn't get enough signs if we didn't purchase one," Carney said.

Several councilors, including Carney, said the survey may have neglected certain groups of residents, such as ones that don't regularly text message or use computers, that could benefit the most from the information it would share.

"I don't think the people who are going to benefit the most, being the elderly, are going to benefit from this," said Councilor Kevin Coyle.

Councilor Janet Fairbanks said one advantage to the portable sign was that it could be used at the Transfer Station where a large number of residents would be able to see the message during an emergency.