Turning tide

Word is that Civil Defence Southland is considering following other CD outfits to introduce txt alerts for emergencies in a move we hope will counter some of the confusion caused by the predominance of networked national media.

Sources say an advertising campaign urging people to tune to a local radio station in case of an emergency wasn’t making it much easier for some to prepare for a disaster.

We don’t want to overstate things, but we understand the tsunami scares of the past few weeks have made it clear that not all people know how to tune to the CD announcements. Why? Because some radio listeners understand they’re not necessarily listening to a local station when they listen to the radio.

That’s because most southern radio stations are, in fact, networked from broadcast hubs outside the district. Those who listen to them know they’re national stations – so they don’t always expect them to help in an emergency, leaving some (particularly those in the gentle swell of migrants to the district) confused about where to turn.

We’ll dispel any confusion now by letting you know that Radio Southland and Hokonui Gold are considered “local” by the locals, but that the likes of the less-than-local MoreFM, NewtalkZB and Classic Hits will also broadcast local emergency information (if you can hear them over the civil defence sirens).

Whatever the case, civil defence officials are now investigating news ways to alert us in an emergency, and we understand a mobile phone txt messaging system has been thrown in the mix.

The service would operate alongside traditional alert systems. Officials are considering the region’s mobile phone network coverage and reliability, and the lessons (the sometimes embarrassing lessons) learned by other civil defence authorities outside the district.

If a glitch-free and reliable alternative can be found, it may be that a pair of false alarms will secure a new way to broadcast an early warning.