"The emAlert Emergency Notification System links DEP electronically with the operators of critical infrastructure facilities throughout Pennsylvania," McGinty said. "This system ensures that people operating these vital facilities will know what they need to do to protect our citizens and our environment in the event of an emergency."
The emAlert system is connected to six primary types of facilities: nuclear power plants, conventional fuel power plants, public water supplies, sewage treatment plants, high-hazard dams and large, above-ground storage tanks. These facilities are located at more than 5,000 sites throughout Pennsylvania. An emAlert Emergency Notification System message will give these operators pertinent details on any event that triggers the system, such as an accident or natural disaster, and safety information specific to the particular event that occurs.
"In the event of an accident, natural disaster or other incident that threatens the safe operation of these facilities, each affected operation will receive an electronic notification of the situation," McGinty said. "The emAlert system will allow state officials to quickly disseminate information about how the situation is developing, and about how owners and operators of these vital power plants, dams and other structures may be affected."
The emAlert Emergency Notification System houses emergency contact information that DEP will use to notify affected facilities about emergency situations. All applicable facilities will be contacted within several weeks and given the ability to privately access their emergency contact information to ensure that their emergency contact information is accurate and complete. Each facility will be permitted to view and update emergency contact information for its own facility whenever necessary.
"Making sure Pennsylvanians continue to have power and clean water is vital during times of natural disasters or other emergency situations. We also need to do all we can to keep power plants, dams, water supplies and other structures safe to protect the health and safety of our residents and the environment when a serious incident takes place," McGinty said.
"The owners and operators of all of our critical infrastructure facilities are our partners in providing vital services to Pennsylvanians," McGinty said. "This state-of-the-art notification system will make sure those services continue to be provided during an emergency, and thus contribute to improving our homeland security."
