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Wilson County EMA agrees to broadcast blasting alerts for West Wilson Utility District water-plant construction
Summary
Members of the Wilson County Emergency Management Agency agreed to distribute notifications countywide via the agency app and social media when West Wilson Utility District conducts blasting for a new water plant; the app cannot target only the affected neighborhood, and no formal vote was required.
Wilson County Emergency Management Agency members discussed using the agency’s app and social media to notify residents about blasting tied to construction of a new water plant by West Wilson Utility District, and agreed staff would coordinate with the utility’s public information officer to send alerts.
The discussion arose after an EMA member said West Wilson Utility District’s PIO typically texts officials about blasts “an hour to 90 minutes or so before the blast,” and that the member relies on Facebook posts and local text rings to warn residents. “So my question is this: I’m trying to find different and better ways to communicate,” the EMA member said.
The EMA’s public-information staff said the agency can post the blast notices on the EMA app and on the agency’s Facebook and X accounts, and that doing so “shouldn't be any problem.” The staff member confirmed the county’s app pushes messages countywide and does not support targeting notifications to a specific neighborhood or district.
Members also discussed on-site warning methods. A member noted outdoor sirens are in place at the intersection near the construction site but said not everyone hears them, which can cause alarm. The EMA representative said the app posts appear on the agency’s social channels when distributed.
No formal motion or vote was taken. EMA members said they would coordinate with West Wilson Utility District’s PIO to provide blast notices through the EMA app and social media going forward; the EMA member who raised the issue said they would assist with coordination.
The exchange occurred during the public-comment and new-business portions of the EMA meeting and included no policy or budget decisions; EMA staff will implement the notification process in coordination with the utility’s PIO.
