Cumberland County adopts Smart911 Emergency Notification System

By Ed Pierce

Cumberland County officials have announced the adoption of a new emergency notification system.

The Rave Alert and Smart911 emergency notification system
is now available for registration by residents and visitors
in Cumberland County, Maine. COURTESY PHOTO 

Michael Durkin, Emergency Management Director for Cumberland County, said that these systems alert visitors and residents in the county of emergencies that impact their homes or other locations.

The Rave Alert system, powered by Smart911, allows residents or visitors to register their addresses with the county. When a disaster impacts that address, they can receive a call, text or email to alert them and provide important instructions.

“This system creates the ability to make participating residents more informed,” said 911 Director Melinda Fairbrother-Dyer. “Having the capability to get information out quickly and put it directly in the hands of those who need it can make a world of difference.”

This system replaces the CodeRed system that had previously been used. Anyone wishing to continue to receive alerts must subscribe to the new Rave Alert system.

Durkin says that Cumberland County has set up a dedicated webpage to sign up or by calling 207-893-2810.

The system differs from other systems that “ping” cell phones, Durkin explained.

“Tying alerts to an address is a strength because the system allows you to enter multiple addresses,” he said. “You can put your home, work, a camp, your children’s bus stop, any location that matters. That flexibility is important.”

Durkin said that the system can also be used by out-of-state visitors in Maine.

The Smart911 system helps visitors and residents to get alerted to emergencies and other important community news in Cumberland County. The system enables county officials to provide you with critical information quickly in a variety of situations, such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, missing people, and evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods. You will receive time-sensitive messages wherever you specify, such as your home, mobile or business phones, email address, text messages and more.

“You pick where and you pick how,” Durkin said..

Smart911 allows individuals to create a Safety Profile, at www.smart911.com, at no cost, that includes information they want 9-1-1 and response teams to have in the event of an emergency. When a person makes an emergency call, their Safety Profile is automatically displayed to the 9-1-1 call taker’s screen, saving critical seconds and even minutes in response to the emergency.

Now when coupled with Rave Alert, people can receive notifications on potentially hazardous situations involving weather, traffic, and other emergencies. Sending notifications through Rave Alert allows public safety to keep the public informed of emergencies and how to be prepared and stay safe. Smart911 saves critical time in an emergency, when seconds count.

Individuals will decide how much information they want to add to their household profile, and any data entered into the Smart911 system is stored securely and confidentially. The system also allows people to specify when and how communications are sent to them and which types of notifications they would like to receive. Emergency alerts are sent 24/7 when there is an immediate threat to life and/or property. Frequency of alerts will be dependent on your address and the notification preferences you select. Emergency Alerts are only sent when there is an immediate threat to life/and or property.

With Smart911 and Rave Alert, the community will be more aware and better prepared in the event of an emergency. Smart911 enables citizens to link both home and work addresses to mobile phones, which can be passed on to responders in the field for a more detailed, rapid response.

Smart911 is part of a national service, meaning your Smart911 Safety Profile travels with you and is visible to any participating 9-1-1 center nationwide.

For additional information about Rave Alert and the Smart911 system and to sign up, please visit: https://www.cumberlandcountyme.gov/departments/regional_communications_center/emergency_alert_notifications.php <

Becky Longacre: How Self-Love Improves Performance

By Becky Longacre

February is often associated with Valentine’s Day and the celebration of romantic love, but it’s also the perfect time to focus on self-love. 

Becky Longacre

As winter begins to wane and the promise of spring approaches, dedicating this month to self-care and self-compassion can help you cultivate a healthier relationship with yourself and set the tone for the rest of the year. By practicing more self-care, you show up more authentically for your loved ones, your job, and you make better decisions in the hard moments.

Why Self-Love Matters. Self-love is more than just a trending topic; it is the foundation for physical and emotional wellbeing and resilience. Taking time to appreciate your strengths, forgive your mistakes, and nurture your physical and mental health is essential for leading a healthy, fulfilling life. When you practice self-love, you are better equipped to handle challenges, build stronger relationships, and pursue your goals with confidence. Adequate selfcare helps you get perspective on things and prioritize what is truly important. When you prioritize your life, you tend to move forward faster in your goals as opposed to someone who is not focused.

Ways to Practice Self-Love in 2026

1. Set Boundaries: Learn to say no to things that waste your time and prioritize your needs. Setting healthy boundaries protects your time and allows you to focus on what matters most.

2. Practice Gratitude: Start a gratitude journal and reflect on the positive aspects of your life. Recognizing what you’re thankful for helps shift your mindset toward abundance. Practicing gratitude tends to create more things to be grateful for.

3. Nourish Your Body: Eat balanced meals, stay hydrated, and get regular exercise. Treating your body with care is a vital part of self-love. A healthy body has more endurance and stress tolerance than an unhealthy body.

4. Engage in Mindful Activities: Try meditation, yoga, or simply take a walk in nature to reconnect with yourself and reduce stress. Reducing stress helps you see the opportunities right in front of you.

5. Celebrate Your Achievements: Take time to acknowledge both big and small accomplishments. Find healthy ways to reward yourself for your efforts and personal growth. Celebrating your wins primes your brain to build more momentum and create more wins!

Make It a Habit. While February serves as a wonderful reminder to practice self-love, the journey doesn’t end here. Incorporate these rituals into your daily life and remember that self-love is a continuous process. By investing in yourself, you foster the strength and positivity needed to thrive throughout the year.

This February, let love begin within and allow that overflow to nourish the people around you. Celebrate your uniqueness, honor your priorities, and make a self-love to-do list. You deserve it.

Becky Longacre is a Nurse Coach for Health Transformers LLC. Send her questions at [email protected] or call her at 207-400-7897. Visit her website at www.healthtransformersmaine.com" <

Participants gather to discuss the future of Presumpscot River

By Abby Wilson

Community members and local partners gathered to share insight about the future of the Presumpscot River during a meeting on Feb. 6 in Westbrook.

Windham Interim Assistant Town Manager Amanda Lessard 
jots down ideas and suggestions from participants during the
Presumpscot 2040 gathering on Feb. 6 in Westbrook. The
public session focused on the health, restoration, and future
uses of the Presumpscot River and its watershed.
PHOTO BY VICTORIA BOUNDY    

Presumpscot 2040 is a project that prompts community members to speak up about their interest in the river, but also a unique opportunity for organizations and government entities to band together.

One of the project partners is Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, one of 28 National Estuary Programs nationwide. Their interest in the project is to “bring people together and set the table for good conversation.” says Curtis Bohlen, the Director of Casco Bay Estuary Partnership.

Other key partners include Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, Friends of the Presumpscot River, Friends of Casco Bay, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Sebago Clean Waters, the Town of Windham, and Trout Unlimited.

About a year and half ago, conversations were happening between organizations about the Presumpscot River, but no efforts had been made to connect them.

“There were several of these conversations going on in isolation from one another” says Bohlen. “What we really wanted to do was bring those conversations together and bring those groups together. We’re really trying to envision what is the future we want for the river, and how do those conversations inform each other?”

After forming a steering committee with key players from local partners, the goal was to develop a shared vision. This committee started to explore what exactly that vision looks like.

During these conversations, it was obvious that stakeholders had varying interests such as water quality, dam removal, recreation, and land conversation.

“We wanted to bring other people in and hear from more groups and more opinions about what the future of the river can and should be” says Bohlen.

It is what sparked the idea for broader input opportunities and inviting the community to share their vision about the river.

Two major visioning sessions were held at the Westbrook Community Center to discuss the future of the Presumpscot River. Topics for discussion included water quality; fish and wildlife habitat; community development potentials; current and potential recreational uses; free flows and connectivity.

During these sessions, Craig Freshley of Good Group Decisions provided the facilitation and led the community in conversation. Two sessions were offered, one in the afternoon and one in the evening to accommodate a wider array of schedules.

This opportunity for the public to learn about and offer input for the river brought a total of 110 people to the Westbrook Community Center on Feb. 2.

The information obtained from these facilitated discussions will be used to inform priorities but also to learn what other in person learning opportunities would be interesting to the public. These events will be scheduled later in 2026.

Since not everyone can attend an in-person event, the Friends of the Presumpscot River have put together a “Presumpscot 2040 Public Perspectives Survey.” The goal is capture how people are currently using, experiencing, and appreciating the Presumpscot River, while inviting people to share their view of the future.

“We have a vision for producing a document which would be a brief outline of what the communities coming together through these conversations seem to be supportive of,” Bohlen said

This public facing document would showcase how they brought people together, shared conversations, and built relationships. Then, a shared vision for the next 15 years could begin to come together.

So why 2040?

“A 15-year period really forces us to think concretely,” Bohlen said. “What do we want to do in the near future and also, what’s practical?”

According to Bohlen, thinking beyond 2040 may prompt more dreams rather than realistic and attainable actions.

“We wanted to focus on a timescale that was both practical and also forces us to be a little visionary” says Bohlen. “What I see is a growing interest in the river as an asset to the communities along the river. For years, communities did not pay much attention to the Presumpscot River. You can see that reflected in the layout of our communities today. Houses were built near the river but did not face it. The vision of the river that was true for many, many years as an industrial asset has gradually been replaced been replaced by a vision of the river as a community asset. That gives us a new way to think about what the river can be and what it can mean to all of us who live in the region.”

Today, restaurants and parks are being built with river views top of mind. The river is celebrated as a recreational haven with increasing opportunities for fishing, paddling, swimming, and more.

“There is a moment in time that we are facing right now with a real opportunity for the Presumpscot River. The river is cleaner than it has been in a long time. The communities along the river have started to recognize it as being a critical asset for them.” says Bohlen.

Community members are excited and enthusiastic to share their visions. If you share in this interest, the team behind the project invites you to fill out the “Presumpscot 2040 Public Perspectives Survey.”

This survey will be accepting responses until Feb.17, 2026 and your opinion matters and can help shape the future of the Presumpscot River.

Find the survey online at www.cascobayestuary.org/casco-bay/presumpscot2040. <

The Great Timing Debate: Should I Claim Social Security Early or Late?

Retirees become eligible to claim Social Security benefits at age 62, but the timing of when you claim can drastically impact your benefit amount. Still, when to claim will be entirely dependent on your unique situation. As you approach retirement, it’s important to understand the impact that timing has on your benefits.

“The timing of when you elect to receive your Social Security benefits warrants thoughtful consideration,” said Rich Guerrini, head of PNC Wealth Management. “This decision can significantly influence not only the total benefits you receive, but also the trajectory of your investment income, your tax obligations, and even your healthcare premiums.”

How Your Benefit is Calculated

Your benefits are based on your top 35 years of earnings, adjusted to account for changes in wages from the year they were earned. The Social Security Administration then applies a formula to those figures to arrive at your specific benefit amount at full retirement age (FRA), also referred to as your primary insurance amount (PIA).

There are three options for when to claim your benefits: claim early, claim at your FRA, or claim at age 70. Each comes with its own benefits and risks.

Claim at age 62

You can begin claiming your benefits as early as age 62, but your benefits will be permanently reduced. Still, there are instances when claiming early makes sense:

• You’re in poor health – The benefit of receiving Social Security early may be worth it, particularly if you’re unsure if you’ll live beyond your break-even point.

• You’re maximizing benefits with a spouse – Timing your claim to Social Security with your spouse can help you maximize a long-term benefit, while fulfilling cash flow needs in the present.

• You no longer want to work – The lifestyle benefits of not working may outweigh a larger future financial benefit from Social Security.

• You want to preserve assets with growth potential – Claiming Social Security early may preserve investment or savings accounts.

Claim at your full retirement age

The primary benefit of waiting until your FRA is that you are then entitled to 100% of your benefits, without possibility of reductions over time. Your FRA for purposes of Social Security is based on the year you were born. For those born between 1943 to 1954, their FRA is 66. For those born between 1955 to 1959, their FRA is 66 plus 2 months for every year after 1954 until 1960. For those born in 1960 and later, their FRA is 67.

Delay your claim to age 70

You can delay claiming your benefits until the maximum age 70, with the primary advantage of increasing your benefits for the remainder of your life. Delaying a Social Security claim may make sense if:

• You have other forms of income – You may realize tax benefits from pulling from sources such as retirement accounts or savings.

• You’re still working – Working beyond your FRA may allow you to meet lifestyle expenses while increasing your future benefit.

• You’re concerned about spousal or survivor benefits – When you delay claiming your Social Security, your spouse may be entitled to a larger spousal benefit and/or survivor’s benefit as well.

Further, cost-of-living-adjustments (COLA) begin giving your potential benefit a boost at age 62 – and that boost will continue to compound every year you delay making your claim.

Tax and Other Impacts

Generally, your Social Security income will be tax dependent on your “combined income,” which factors in gross income, nontaxable interest earned, and half of your Social Security income. Potential effects on healthcare premiums should also be factored in.

Additional insights can be found by visiting www.pnc.com.

While the question of when to claim Social Security benefits will be unique to your individual financial situation, it’s a decision that warrants careful consideration – and potentially even a professional opinion. (StatePoint) <