While it's a shame...maybe even a crime... that call centers are a dying breed in North America, I do think what happened here can be used as a learning experience for emergency planners.

At all levels of government, emergency planners should be looking to establish agreements with call centers well outside their geographic area. The phone numbers of the centers could be published in the local news media as part of emergency preparedness and awareness programs. During a disaster, national and any local news media still active, could publish the numbers and make life a lot easier for a lot people, especially those who aren't so good at helping themselves.