Localities in central Virginia and Hampton Roads are getting a new digital alerting system designed to allow emergency responders to maintain communications during a disaster if phones lines and Internet service were disabled.

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management said today that the satellite-based system will be installed in 22 sites by the end of the summer.

Virginia State Police and the Virginia Emergency Operations Center installed the Emergency Management Network, or EMnet, in 2004 with funds from the General Assembly. Northern Virginia localities used federal grant money to get the system in 2006.

The General Assembly approved funding last year to expand the network to the local governments that may be affected by hurricanes or other disasters.

-- The Associated Press