Town officials have one crucial message for Harvard's senior citizens, especially those who live alone: Please tell us how to reach you in an emergency.

When the lights went out and furnaces went off during the recent storm, many town residents tromped through the snow to check on elderly neighbors. But systematic efforts by the Council on Aging to reach seniors were hampered because cable-based phone lines and cordless phones were also out of service.

"If you want to be contacted in an emergency, we need to know who you are," said Council on Aging director Debbie Thompson. "Call the COA at 978-456-4120 and tell us your cell phone number, or another secondary contact number, as well as your regular phone number."

Harvard police dispatcher Pat Natoli agreed whole-heartedly and added another important point: "Give us your cell phone number and keep your cell phone on!"

Thompson said that she and COA outreach coordinator Maria Holland spent Tuesday, Nov. 1, at the police station, attempting to reach people on the "frail elders" list, a voluntary list of those who live alone and have no family in the immediate area.

But by then, the power had already been out for more than 60 hours. And the COA could call only those who had chosen to be on the list. People who had not signed up had to rely on informal checks from neighbors.

In cases where she could not reach an elderly resident, Thompson said, she next called friends or relatives to learn where the person might be staying. If those calls did not provide reassurance, she asked the police to go to the person's house for a "wellness check." At one home, the fire department also cleared the driveway.

Thompson expressed admiration for the way the emergency services functioned during the power outage.

"I could see they had a good handle on things," she said.

Asked about the case of the 86 year-old North Brookfield woman who died of apparent hypothermia in her unheated home during the power outage, Thompson said emphatically, "That is what we do not want ever to have happen here."

The failure of the cable-based phone services was a surprise to Thompson, she said. The problem led her to wonder about medical-alert systems, such as Lifeline, that rely on phone lines to call for emergency assistance. (A Lifeline representative confirmed to the Press that the service does not work if phone service is disrupted.)

Thompson recommends that elders have a cell phone, perhaps with a barebones service plan, for use in emergencies. She proposes that the Council on Aging arrange a training program within the next few months for those who are not familiar with using cell phones.

In addition to the emergency call list maintained by the COA, Harvard Police also have an on-going "Are You OK" program in which they make a daily call to residents who request it. This program provides a safety check every day, not just during emergencies.