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Emergency Notification FAQ's...

   FAQ’s

·         What is T.E.N.S.?

TENS stands for Telephone Emergency Notification System, a system of alerting residents of disasters that is commonly referred to Reverse 9-1-1. It is one of several methods that San Bernardino County uses to communicate with residents during disasters.

 

·         How does T.E.N.S. work?

TENS uses a database of phone numbers and addresses which are geocoded with the County’s street network to identify residents in a specific area to call with emergency alerts. TENS already has the landlines of those residing and working in San Bernardino County through the 9-1-1 database. Since cell phone numbers and VoIP numbers are not in the 9-1-1 database, San Bernardino County has provided the opportunity to enter those numbers on this website so as to receive the same alerts as landline customers.

 

·         Why do you need my address?

TENS alerts do not generally go out to the entire County, but instead are targeted to affected areas. If your address is in an affected area, the alert will be sent to your landline if applicable, or to the cell phone or VoIP number you have provided.

 

·         Is registration free?

Yes.

 

·         Do I need to register my home line to be included in the database?

No, your home phone number is already listed in the database and does not need to be registered.  Registering your cell or VoIP phone will not replace or “overwrite” your home line.  All efforts will be made to reach you at all of your contact numbers on file.

 

·         If I register my cell phone, VoIP or e-mail address, will that information remain confidential?

Yes, your information will be kept confidential.  It may be shared with other public safety agencies but will only be used for emergency purposes.  Under no circumstances will your information ever be sold or used for commercial purposes.

 

·         I’m having difficulties viewing the form, or I don t see a form, or after I submitted the form I receive a page cannot be displayed message.  What should I do?

The site may be experiencing a high level of traffic.  Try refreshing your internet browser intermittently until the form comes up for you.

You may also send an e-mail to emergency@sbcounty.gov

 

·         I entered the wrong information or made a typo, can you correct it for me?

Yes. Check the change button and start your process again.

 

·         Do I need to add a 1 at the beginning of my phone number?

No.

 

·         Can I add more than one number per address?

A total of four numbers per address may be registered.

 

·         If I send you my information can you register me?

San Bernardino County has partnered with the 2-1-1 hotline to register those individuals who do not have access to internet. Please call 2-1-1 or 888- 435-7565 to ask for assistance. Have your physical address ready including the name, type and direction. Example: 123 N. Rose Avenue . City, State, Zip

 

·         Is this web site secure?

Yes.

 

·         I am moving out of the County or would like to remove the information I submitted from the database.

Go to the registration page and choose the remove button to start the process.

 

·         I have a question that is not covered in this FAQ.

Please e-mail your question to emergency@sbcounty.gov

 

·         Can I have my phone number associated with multiple locations?

Yes. This requires new registration. However, all registrations will be affected with any change or removals.

 

·         I have call screening/interception to discourage telemarketers.  Will I get the message?

It depends.  If your telephone system simply requires a valid caller ID, we will get through.  Our caller IDs will show as “Emergency Info” and the number (909) 355-8800. If your telephone system requires a caller to first say their name, or who they are, then wait until the call is accepted, our system will not be able to get through to you.  During a community disaster, please consider disabling such blocking.

 

·         I live in a remote area, sometimes my location is hard to find.

Notifications are usually geographically based.  If you live in a very rural location, please let us know how to find your address. Your nearest cross streets are acceptable or GPS coordinates are even better.  PO Boxes will not work for our reverse notification system.

 

·         Do I need to call 9-1-1 after I get a message?

 Please do not call 9-1-1 unless you are in a true emergency circumstance. Please follow the directions in the emergency alert.

 

·         Will my telephone get called if the power goes out?

If your telephone is “corded”, meaning powered by the phone line, yes.  If you have a cordless phone, only if the base unit has battery or back up power. It is always a good idea to have a corded phone in your home for the sake of emergencies.

 

·         What type of messages can I expect to receive?

  San Bernardino County uses their TENS system only to notify residents about emergencies or situations where they may be in imminent danger. Therefore, if you receive a TENS message; please follow the directions included in the message.

 

·         Why am I only offered the option to receive a text message on my cell phone?

During disasters, cell lines are often congested and cell phone calls fail to connect. However, text messages utilize different channels and use less bandwidth and are therefore more likely to reach their designated recipient with the critical information.

·         If I have updated my landline on your database, will the phone company be notified?

We do not notify or update the phone company.

 

·         How do I know what address is associated with my landline number and that it’s in the 9-1-1 database?

Call your phone company and ask them for your 9-1-1 address.