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Should Maine towns or cities provide immediate notification to residents when there’s public emergency?
The Waterville City Council heard complaints this week that the city should do better in notifying residents of emergencies.
Those concerns came up in the aftermath of firefighting contaminant entering the public drinking water supply Monday during a fatal fire at the Elm Towers senior apartment complex.
Firefighting foam used at the scene got into the drinking water supply due to a misplaced backflow prevention device, prompting the Kennebec Water District to issue on its website Monday a do-not-drink order to residents of Waterville, Winslow, Vassalboro, Benton and Fairfield, which are part of the district. The order was lifted about 24 hours later.
City officials scrambled to notify Waterville residents that they shouldn’t drink the water. They put a notice on the city’s Facebook page and website, as well as on the Fire Department’s site, even as people rushed to stores to buy bottled water. In response, city officials say they expect to have a system in place where residents can sign up to have notifications sent to their phones.
But what do you think? Should Maine towns or cities provide immediate notification to residents when there’s public emergency? Tell us in the poll and in the comments below.
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