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Ready Arlington: Be Ready, Be Notified

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This biweekly column is written and sponsored by the Arlington Office of Emergency Management.

Elizabeth Dexter is a Watch Officer, for the Office of Emergency Management in Arlington.

Life Happens. Life is messy. — In 2007, my trip into work took four hours. It normally takes 45 minutes. I left the house while it was raining, but it quickly turned into snow. I remember being angry and stressed that I was going to be late for work. Almost everyone has a similar story, whether it was the Angry Inch or Snowzilla (in 2016), or Snowmageddon (in 2014). After each of these events, people often ask, “How can I stay informed about things like this? How can I avoid these emergencies?”

Wireless Emergency AlertsCan You Reach Me Now? — As technology continues to improve, so do our options for being notified about emergencies where we work, live and play. In the past, people had to wait for a radio broadcast, the 11 o’clock news or newspaper to find out if an emergency was happening in their area. Now people have access to several notification methods:

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) — Ever been startled by a blaring siren on your phone? It was probably a WEA. These alerts are sent out to all cell phones inside a designated area. These messages only happen in rare situations:

  • Alerts issued by the President of the United States
  • AMBER Alerts
  • Alerts involving the immediate threat to lifeArlington Alert

Arlington Alert — If you’ve heard us say it once, you’ve probably heard us say it 1,000 times: Arlington Alert is a free service that provides you information when major traffic events, mass transit issues and other emergencies occur in Arlington. It also issues weather alerts from the Weather Service. These alerts can be set up to go to cell phones, pagers or even an email address! In certain situations, they can even call a phone and deliver a message by voice.

Emergency Subscriber Listings (you may have heard this also referred to as “Reverse 9-1-1) — A system that uses landline listed and unlisted telephone numbers to call the home or business and relay critical information. Here in the county, this has been used to tell individuals about police activity in an area, and also to ask for assistance in looking for a missing child.

Facebook Safety CheckFacebook Safety Check — If you happened to be in an area where a major crisis has happened, they will allow you to mark yourself safe and let you see which of your friends who are also in the area have also checked in. On the same page, you can also get basic information about the crisis (location, date, what happened and who to call for assistance).

Social Media — It’s fast, it’s crowdsourced and it can be accurate — but not always. Many people have turned to social sources like Facebook and Twitter for information about what’s going on around their neighborhoods. The quantity and quality of information can be mixed, so don’t forget to check verified, official sources as well. For instance, on December 13th, residents had questions about sirens they heard in South Arlington on I-395. Many people took to Facebook and Twitter to ask questions and share what they knew or had seen. Someone tweeted at the Arlington County Police Department and ACPD responded with an official explanation of what was going on — even before the story broke here on ARLnow!

It’s not just Social Media — In the moments after the Paris Terror attacks businesses, such as Airbnb and Uber, reached out to their customers to let them know what had happened and actions they should take.

Recent Stories

Good Monday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar. 🕗 News recap The following articles were published earlier today…

An 18-year-old Arlington woman is facing a litany of charges after an reported bike theft led to violence. The incident happened Sunday evening near the intersection of S. Walter Reed…

What do I do if school doesn’t fit my kid? That’s the question that so many of the parents and families ask when they’re looking at small independent schools like…

There is a new play area for kids inside Ballston Quarter with plenty of pint-sized attractions. Located on the first floor of the mall, near the about-to-close Macy’s, Junior Playland…

Well-Paid Maids recently unveiled a new scheduling system.

That means it’s easier than ever to book your professional home cleaning with the only certified living-wage home cleaning service in the D.C. area.

Here’s what to expect when you book your cleaning:

  1. Select your location.

  2. Choose your service (i.e. 1 BD/1BA). (This is also where you’ll see the rate.)

  3. Pick your cleaner. (If you don’t have a preference, opt for “any available.”)

  4. Schedule a date and time. You can also set up recurring cleanings and get a discount!

  5. Enter your information and reserve.

Read More

Submit your own Announcement here.

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Our team of compassionate and experienced psychotherapists is here to guide you on your journey to inner peace, self-discovery, and positive change. We provide a safe and supportive environment where you can explore your thoughts and feelings without judgment.

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Submit your own Announcement here.

Portofino Italian Wine Dinner, April 6, 6:30pm

Four course Italian dinner, paired with 2 wines each. The wines will be served “blind” and notes on each wine will be discussed. The event is coordinated with Elite Wine Importers and The Portofino Restaurant. The dinner is on Saturday,

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