The state of Connecticut is now signing up residents for a statewide emergency notification system, the first comprehensive one of its kind in the U.S., according to state officials.   CT Alert <http://www.ctalert.gov/>  allows state authorities to communicate critical information to its residents before, during and after emergencies. The system is a fast and efficient way for Connecticut authorities to reach residents during events such as natural disasters and public-health emergencies, officials said. Some towns in Connecticut - such as Mystic and Pawcatuck -- already have used the CT Alert system to help people stranded by storms in the spring.

For more information, please visit http://www.ct.gov/dps/cwp/view.asp?Q=462250&A=11.