Target Notification Opt-In Registration
Target Notification is a service used by public
safety agencies to rapidly notify citizens of critical information
in a crisis or emergency situation. Target Notification uses the
9-1-1 database from Qwest and other telephone service providers
to provide emergency notification to wire line phones in homes
and businesses. Through registration, these same services are
now available to telephone customers who use cellular and VoIP
telephone devices.
Register
Your Cellular or VoIP Number (Intrado site)
Q: Who should opt in?
A: All wireless and VoIP phone subscribers
within Billings and Yellowstone County who wish to receive emergency
notifications should register their telephone numbers on the Target
Notification website. Landline (or hard wired) telephone customers
and their locations are maintained in a separate database and
do not need to be registered.
Q: Will my information be sold or distributed?
A: No. All of the information you enter will
feed directly into the Target Notification secure database. This
information can only be accessed by system administrators and
the data will never be sold or distributed to third parties.
Q: When will I receive phone calls?
A: You will receive phone calls when the
Target Notification system is activated and your address is within
the geographic area chosen to receive the notification message.
The Target Notification system will only be activated for emergency
purposes during incidents that pose a risk to public safety or
when emergency services officials may ask for the public's assistance
during a crisis incident.
Q: What do I do if I move?
A: If you move after you have entered your
information into the website, you will need to go back into the
website and re-enter your information with your new address.
Q: Can I add my landline telephone number?
A: Yes. You can enter your landline phone
number into the Target Notification Opt-In website. Most landline
phone numbers are already in the database and the data you enter
into the site will NOT overwrite the existing information for
your landline telephone number. If your landline phone number
is not already in the database, then the new information will
be entered into the database.
Q: Can I enter my telephone number more than
once at different addresses?
A: No. The last address that you enter into
the website will be the only location that your telephone number
is associated with. Your telephone number can only be in the database
once, at one location.
Q: Do I have to enter an actual address?
A: Yes. If you enter an address that does
not exist you will not be in the database and will not be contacted
when the Target Notification system is activated.
Q: If I am in a location that is different than
the address that I enter into the website for my wireless phone,
will I still be contacted if an emergency affects the address
entered?
A: Yes. No matter where you are physically
located, you will only receive calls for emergencies that affect
the address entered into the website. So if you are on vacation
in a different state you will still receive a phone call if the
address you entered is affected by an emergency.
Q: After I create my online account, how long
will it be before my phone number is "active" to receive
emergency notifications?
A: Your phone number should be ready to receive
emergency notifications about one week from your account creation
date.
Q: Are there any fees associated with emergency
notifications?
A: There are no fees to create an account
for Target Notification, regardless of the number of phones and
VoIPs that you enter. However, emergency notification calls to
cell phones will be deducted from your cell phone's plan minutes,
just as any other incoming call. The cost of Target Notification
services is paid by the Billings City/County 9-1-1 Center with
the 9-1-1 fees associated with your telephone bill.
Q: Is the Target Notification system able to
assist individuals that are deaf or hard of hearing?
A: Target Notification has TDD/TTY capabilities
to assist those individuals.
Q: If I have a "blocked" phone will
this impact Target Notification?
A: Yes. You will not receive the notification
call with a blocked telephone number.
Register
Your Cellular or VoIP Number (Intrado site)