City of Sarasota residents encouraged to sign up for emergency notifications

Police Department to conduct test of Rapid Notify on Feb. 14, involving residents of Lido and St. Armands keys

The Gulf of Mexico laps at the edge of a building on Lido Key during a January 22 storm. Photo contributed by Bruce Armstrong

The Sarasota Police Department is encouraging City of Sarasota residents to sign up for an emergency notification system called Rapid Notify.

This free service often is referred to as “Reverse 911,” a Police Department news release explains. “It can alert residents and provide important information during emergency events,” the release adds.

Residents may sign up at http://sarasotagov.org/ENS.cfm.

“As part of our continuing effort to reach out to the citizens of the City of Sarasota, we will be conducting a drill of the system” at 10 a.m. on Feb. 14, the release notes. The residents of Lido and St. Armand’s keys were selected for notification, the release continues, because of the “vulnerability of the coastline in that area.”

Subscribers to the system will be notified via the information they have provided to Rapid Notify — by email, text or phone call, the release points out. Because this will be a test of Rapid Notify, the release notes, no action will be required on the part of residents.