Larger area receives phone alert service

Eastside

A Reverse 911 service has been expanded to include much of the Eastside.

The system can be used to warn residents of fires, chemical spills, gas leaks or other emergencies. When a person answers a Reverse 911 phone call, a recording identifies the call as being a Reverse 911 message, provides emergency information and indicates whether there will be a follow-up message.

The new service will take in an area from Mercer Island to Duvall and from Hunts Point to Snoqualmie Pass. The service already had been available in the Bellevue and Clyde Hill areas and is operated through the Eastside Regional Communications Center, which the Bellevue Police Department administers.

The service will automatically call land-line phone numbers provided by phone companies annually. Residents with unlisted numbers, mobile phones or voice-over-Internet phone systems can register to be included, either by calling 425-452-4157 or online at the Bellevue city Internet site, www.bellevuewa.gov.

Woodinville

Vogt appointed to City Council

The Woodinville City Council has appointed Robert Vogt to be its newest member.

Vogt, a parks-and-recreation commissioner since 2001, was appointed to serve the remainder of the term of Councilman Mike Roskind, who resigned.

Vogt was selected from five applicants in a 4-2 vote this week and will serve through the end of 2009.

Seattle Times Eastside Bureau