ONEONTA _ Emergency officials and local leaders in Oneonta now have the ability to speak directly to the public during a natural disaster or other crisis.
WUOW 104.7, the community radio station operated under the auspices of the State University College at Oneonta, has launched an enhanced emergency alert system.
Mayor John Nader issued a test message live on the airwaves at about 3:45 p.m. Tuesday during a media conference with public safety, hospital and college officials.
The new telephone interface allows emergency officials and local leaders to access the airwaves through any telephone, including cell phones.
"One of the biggest problems is getting the word out in any emergency," said Gary Wickham, WUOW's program director.
The interface allows officials to enter an access code on their telephone to record a message that is immediately and automatically broadcast over the airwaves. A second access code allows officials to speak live on the air from their telephones.
"We've never had that ability before," said Oneonta Fire Chief Robert Barnes, the city's emergency coordinator.
Wickham said the local response to the floods of June 2006 was outstanding, but in reviewing the event, emergency officials noted a need for direct communication with the public, especially if the power were out.
When the radio station was launched in February 2007, one of the goals was to have WUOW play a role in emergency response.
During the last two years, WUOW received $50,000 in state funding with the help of state Sen. James Seward, R-Milford, that helped establish the station, said SUCO spokeswoman Carol Blazina.
"That's how we were able to fund it," Blazina said, noting that the emergency broadcast technology was a small fraction of the overall cost of the station.
The station is required by the Federal Communications Commission to participate in the Emergency Alert System, Wickham said.
But the telephone interface takes it one step further, he said.
Additionally, the station has the capability to run on generators, allowing it to continue to broadcast during power outages, Wickham said.
Any number of scenarios could prompt the use of the enhanced emergency alert system, Barnes said.
These include weather events, such as flooding or ice storms, as well as accidents involving hazardous materials, he said.
Barnes urged the public to ensure they have working radios in their home and batteries to power them.
Lt. Dennis Nayor of the Oneonta Police Department said the system could also be used to alert the public to a missing child or a public safety situation, such as an armed robbery. In addition to alerting people for safety reasons, it could also help police gather information that could be useful in investigations, Nayor said.
"Time is a critical factor," Nayor said.
Also attending the test were Maggie Barnes, A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital's director of community affairs, and Bonnie Kaido, Bassett Healthcare's emergency preparedness officer. The hospitals will be participating in the system, Wickham said.
WUOW is a low-power, public radio station which only reaches the city and town of Oneonta. It is also available on Time Warner Cable Channel 23 and over the Internet at www.wuow.org.
But Wickham said the station is applying to the FCC to broadcast on a new frequency that will reach the entire county.
If the application is approved, the enhanced emergency alert system would be utilized throughout Otsego County, Wickham said.
SUCO President Nancy Kleniewski applauded the close ties between the college and the community.
"This community needs a clear voice in any crisis communication," she said.
