Town of Princeville

Princeville, North Carolina

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 25, 1999

PRINCEVILLE CALLS FOR CITIZENS TO
PHONE HOME

PRINCEVILLE, NC – Princeville officials are using technology to bridge the distance that has come between the Town and its citizens after Hurricane Floyd devastated 98 percent of all Princeville structures, sending every resident to temporary housing as far away as central North Carolina and even Maryland. Officials are asking every Princeville citizen to Phone Home using a special automated telephone system that will give as well as take vital current information, including the Town’s new Citizen Census. The Citizen Census asks callers six short questions about their permanent Princeville residence as well as their current Post-Floyd living arrangements. The Census ends by asking citizens to call back and complete a new census each time their current address changes.

Princeville citizens can Phone Home anytime, day or night, by calling (252) 977-8788.

"Getting out accurate, timely information to our citizens is key to our recovery," said Princeville Town Manager Sandra White. "We need to know where everyone is so that we can communicate with them throughout the long recovery process."

In addition to collecting Citizen Census data, the Phone Home system is designed to provide citizens and others with up-to-date information on Princeville’s recovery such as the status of inspections, utility services, debris removal, and FEMA assistance. Citizens can also leave voice-mail messages for Town officials. The system, which was designed by the Town of Cary and produced by In-Touch Communications of Rocky Mount, became operational today will stay in effect for the next three to six months as needed.

"We’re working with Princeville to get out as much information through as many different mechanisms as possible," said Town of Cary Public Information Officer Susan Moran. Moran is part of a team of Cary staff members who are working with Princeville to help restore the town’s government following direction from the Cary Town Council. "During a disaster, citizens have widely veering level of access to technologies, so it’s important to reach out in every way possible. At this point, most people can get to a phone, so this is the most effective way for us to communicate at this time."

And since Princeville officials don’t really know where all their citizens have ended up but believe that most are in about a 50-mile radius of Princeville, Cary has helped set up a media contact list so that news releases can be targeted to that region.

In addition to the Phone Home program and regional news releases, flyers containing important disaster recovery information are continuously updated and posted on two new eye-catching, yellow and red, 10-foot-tall kiosks erected at both the temporary Town Hall in Tarboro and the old Town Hall in Princeville. The kiosks were built by the Town of Cary and delivered to Princeville last week.

The Town of Cary is also hosting comprehensive information about Princeville in a special section of its website, www.townofcary.org, and thanks to a donation from Interpath—a CP&L company, the web information will soon be transferred to Princeville’s own site that will be hosted by Interpath. Interpath is also providing Princeville with an email account so that officials will be able to use the Internet as an additional, full-service communications vehicle with their citizens.

Finally, Cary’s local newspaper, The Cary News, has agreed to print a quarterly newspaper for Princeville regarding the recovery effort. Town of Cary and Town of Princeville staff will write the copy, and The Cary News will at no charge print several hundred copies each quarter for distribution to Princeville citizens. The first issue of Princeville’s Recovery News should be out before Thanksgiving.

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