LIHUE — Kaua'i County will make emergency communications available to residents and businesses via telephones and e-mail, the county said in a release.

Using Connect-CTY, a mass notification service from Blackboard Connect Inc., county officials will be able to create and rapidly disseminate voice messages regarding civil defense emergencies via a single phone call.

The service will also allow officials to send text messages to cell phones, Personal Digital Assistants, e-mail accounts, and TTY/TDD receiving devices for the hearing impaired.

Publicly available primary residential and business phones on Kauai will automatically be included in the system. Residents can also sign up with up to three phone numbers and two e-mail addresses, and indicate if they have a TTY/TDD device.

Registration for this free service is now being accepted on the home page of the county website, www.kauai.gov or by calling 241-1800.

A community-wide test call will be conducted at 11:45 a.m. May 1.

More information about Connect-CTY is available at www.blackboardconnectcty.com

Examples of civil defense emergencies include: tsunamis; hurricanes; earthquakes; flash floods; and any other situation that could impact the safety, property, or welfare of Kauai residents.

"We are constantly looking at ways to enhance communications with our residents," said Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr. "Connect CTY will enable us to reach out and quickly inform residents about emergency situations to help prevent injuries and the spread of misinformation, as well as streamline recovery efforts."