This post is updated to supply information received by a local resident.
The resident informed me that the Village posted information about the harbor contamination on the Village's Facebook page late yesterday afternoon or early evening. The Port Jeff Alert (prior Code Red) did not go out until 6 am today. The Port Jeff Alert should have been issued at the same time.
Author's Notes:
If the Village reacted by posting the alert when they first posted it to their website, it could have prevented anyone from touching the contaminated water. One resident reported that they had their dog at the beach in the water and was taking the dog to the vet to ensure the dog was not harmed. The Village must realize that many residents do not use Facebook, nor do they follow Village News on the Village's website. A timely used emergency alert system is a must. I believe everyone should sign up for Suffolk County's system. It is also good to have a backup. (instructions below)
First, the good news!
The Village still has an emergency alert system. It was renamed “Port Jeff Alert”. The link to register to the “Port Jeff Alert” can be found at the bottom of the home page on the Village website. Beware: it is a very small graphic located at the very bottom of the home page. Clicking on the Port Jeff Alert link will allow you to sign-up for the alerts from the system. If you already have an account on Code Red, you need not register again.
I have reached out to Village Code and the Village Clerk's office. The Code office informed me that the department does not handle these types of alerts. The Village Clerk, Sylvia Pirillo, was extremely helpful and explained that the message we received was generated by the Village. The Village put the alert out at around 6 a.m this morning. She has also requested that the Village gets immediate notification of such events before it is released to news sources since the Village was not informed until last night.
Another way to get emergency alerts is to sign up for SuffolkAlert.
SuffolkAlert is the official emergency notification system used by the Suffolk County Emergency Managers and Public Safety Officials to communicate with community residents during emergencies. Sign up now to receive free alerts from the SuffolkAlert via text message and/or voice message.
Sign up for SuffolkAlert by texting SuffolkAlerts to 67283
Complete your Safety Alert profile at Smart911.
Having a Safety Profile allows you to:
Stay informed of weather, traffic, and other emergencies in your community
Add your address to receive geo-targeted alerts
Indicate what types of alerts you want to receive, including weather, traffic, emergency, and more.
Indicate how you want to be notified by text, email, and/or voice message.
Allow Suffolk County to assist homebound individuals during emergencies Sign up for information about Vector Control, Parks, and much more
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