The City’s PRISM Program will be launching its eighth annual PRISM Verification process on October 20h, 2016. The City Emergency Notification System (PRISM-911) will automatically be calling everyone in its database (over 15,000 contact numbers) to verify that its information is correct. During last year’s annual PRISM Verification, over 95% of the City’s PRISM-911 database was verified. Staff asks that when you receive your PRISM-911 call (which will occur between 6:30 pm – 8:50 pm, Monday to Friday) you answer the questions asked by our PRISM Verification. If you do not or hang up, the system recognizes that it has not completed the process and it will keep calling your number a few days later as it attempts to complete the verification.
PRISM Verification will ask you to confirm that the number called is for the address noted in its database. Also, if you have an unlisted phone number, it would be appreciated if you could forward it to the City. All PRISM information remains confidential and is not forwarded or used by any other agency.
The City has used the PRISM Program on 35 occasions since January 2008 (including six occasions in 2016) for such emergencies as flooding events, boil water advisories and blue-green algae notifications. In 2010 and 2016, PRISM-911 was used for an OPP standoff and a missing person incident in June 2016. The City of Quinte West has recognized cost savings of tens of thousands of dollars annually by not requiring City and\or emergency services staff going door to door to notify the public during the various PRISM events to date.
The City also developed the PRISM QWik Check application in 2010 which allows Quinte West residents and businesses to go to the City’s website at www.quintewest.ca and type in their phone number and see if it is in the PRISM-911 database. If the phone number is not in the database, you may fill out a form online and submit it to the City.
The PRISM Verification process is extremely important to ensure the City’s records are accurate. This verification process is scheduled to run from October to December annually. You may also call the City’s PRISM line at 613-392-2841 extension 4545 and leave your contact information there. If you have any questions about PRISM, please call this number also and a staff member will contact you.
If you have any question regarding the City’s PRISM Program or the PRISM Verification process, please call Ed Woods, Manager of Technology, City of Quinte West at 613-392-2841 (ext. 4465) or email edw@quintewest.ca
