Oct. 23, 2008 – Telephone technology made it possible for Gov. John deJongh Jr. to alert residents to the approach of Hurricane Omar hours before the storm hit last week. The government joined forces with Innovative Telephone to deliver a robo call from the governor.
"The company’s facilitating our request allowed my administration to warn residents of the impending storm, which in turn allowed residents to take the precautionary preparation measures to protect their homes and families," deJongh said in a press release issued Thursday.
The calls with their recorded message from the governor went out Oct. 15, before the storm began to hit later that night.
Government House spokesman Jean Greaux did not know how many people received phone calls.
Greaux said deJongh’s taped call warned residents the hurricane was on its way, urged them to make preparations and promised that the government would address any damages that occurred.
"It was a word of caution," Greaux said.
According to a press release from Government House, the government plans to develop a "modern 911" system that covers both the St. Thomas/St. John and St. Croix districts so the government will be able to warn residents when a disaster threatens the territory.
Innovative also sent out a press release, indicating that the company supplied phone numbers without identifying information to facilitate the mass calls.
"It is part of our duty to the people of the Virgin Islands who we serve, and we will not hesitate to do the same in the future," Innovative Chief Executive Officer E. Clarke Garnett said.
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