The City of Lynchburg has secured a grant to start its own emergency notification system. The Reverse 911, concept came soon after a destructive derecho windstorm blew through the region in 2012. Some residents were left without power for days after the storm. Officials began discussing ways the city could improve its public outreach when many usual forms of communication were cut off by downed power lines. The FEMA grant became available when a federal disaster declaration was issued; city representatives expect to get a related state grant that together will cover nearly all of the costs. The system is designed to call citizens with alerts about emergency situations. The city hopes to launch its new system later this year—Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell counties already have similar systems in place.
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