FALLS CITY – After a surge in natural disasters and power outages, the Falls City City Council is looking for ways to improve notifications for citizens.

The council discussed platforms for internet-based messaging systems, that include TextMyGov and app-based services at its meeting Monday.

 

 

President Joe Biden declared a major disaster following the December storm that drove winds near 100 mph and spawned 27 Nebraska tornadoes.

The storm, called a serial derecho by the weather service, produced 90 mph winds that lasted over 30 minutes in Richardson County.

City Administrator Kevin Cluskey said it was "all on hands on deck" for city staff in December when extreme winds blew the roof off of the water plant.

Falls City also experienced a power outage in September that impacted 60 percent of the city and an outage later in fall.

The experiences, Cluskey said, convinced many in city government that a better way is needed to communicate with citizens.

Cluskey said when there is a power outage, the city phones are soon overwhelmed with incoming calls. He said citizens report frustration over having to rely on Facebook or website posts.

He suspects that most people would benefit from a system that allows the city to text smart phones with emergency messages.

Cluskey said people also dial 911 for information about power outages or storms, so a text-based messaging system will relieve pressure on emergency lines.

He said the council is in the ideation stage of the process, but he expects to report to the council soon on details of a needs assessment.

https://rivercountry.newschannelnebraska.com/story/45508711/falls-city-recovering-from-serial-derecho