Community Alert Emergency Calls

Hundreds of people called 911 during Sunday’s blackout.

Santa maria dispatchers say they received almost 600 phone calls within the first 90 minutes. Dispatchers want to remind everyone not to call 911 during a non-emergency. They need to keep the emergency lines open for people who really need medical help, or to report a crime.

The City of Santa Maria is using this incident to remind residents to sign up for the community alert system.

All you have to do is go to the city’s website. The special system will alert residents during an emergency or community alert in their neighborhood.

To sign up go to: http://www.cityofsantamaria.org/40467.shtml and click on the orange icon that says, “sign up now.”