Winchester to Become More AWARE

The town is closing in on a new Community Notification System (CNS) that will help disseminate pertinent information across Winchester quickly and easily.

The system, Winchester AWARE, is, in essence a reverse 9-1-1 call.

It will be able to relay messages to residents regarding fires, police activity or public health emergencies. The CNS can notify the community regarding a lost child, a felon in the area, the need to evacuate a certain area or to alert the community about road closings or water main breaks. Basically, it is in place to get important information out to the public as quickly as possible.

According to Acting Town Manager, Winchester residents may be added or deleted from the CNS, as long as they submit a Winchester AWARE Profile Form. Once the system is up and running, they can also update their individual profile online. The link will eventually be on the town's website.

Residents may be notified of a message through their home phone, cell phone, email or text message.

The contract was just signed last week, and work will begin on the system shortly. As of now, there is no timetable for the completion of the project.