LONDONDERRY — When disaster strikes in Londonderry, citizens can expect to receive updates at least five times per day, the fire chief said Monday night.

During this week’s Town Council meeting, Fire Chief Kevin MacCaffrie shared highlights of the town’s updated emergency communications plan.

According to MacCaffrie, such information can be shared via the town’s AM radio station, the town website and the town’s cable access channel.

“Of course, we understand when the town’s power isn’t on, most people won’t see that,” he said of the latter, noting that citizens calling 211 on their cell phones can also access local information.

“We can notify the state by phone or electronically,” said MacCaffrie. “We’re also entering the realm of Twitter and Facebook. Using the Nixle system, via the police department, we can also post emergency updates (on subscribers’ cell phones). The goal is to give updates at least five times per day.”

“How are people going to communicate with you?” Council Chairman John Farrell asked the chief. “Will they be able to tweet or Facebook with you?”

Indeed they can, the fire chief said, noting that citizens can also call Central Fire Station.

Farrell also pointed to the town’s most recent disaster, when last October’s unexpected snowstorm left much of the town in the dark for an entire week, as a reason why the town needs to assign a public information officer.

This is particularly important for instances when MacCaffrie is absent.

In those cases, the chief noted, such duties could fall on the town manager, the public works department, or other police or fire staff members.

MacCaffrie also urged citizens to be diligent about reporting power outages.

“By all means, you should report this,” he said. “They may know already, but they need to hear if from homeowners.”

During large-scale outages, an emergency management director would be temporarily appointed for Londonderry.

“That person would contact the utility companies and damages would then be assessed,” said MacCaffrie. “From there, a restoration priority list would be made.”

Regular written reports would be made by 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. each day during the period of disaster recovery, with the emergency management director in charge of asking for updates on expected power restorations.

“PSNH will be assigning those on a priority basis, with areas with downed wires and trees a first priority,” MacCaffrie said.

Councilor Joe Green said it is critical to pay close attention to the needs of the town’s elderly citizens.

“These are the folks that are most in need of the services PSNH provides,” said Green.

The fire chief stressed that the department already keeps a regularly updated list of citizens using oxygen tanks or other medical equipment that might become compromised in the event of a power outage.

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April Guilmet may be reached at AGuilmet@newstote.com.