Alerts by Text Available in JCC

By Amber Lester Friday, February 05, 2010

The next time a fast-moving storm sweeps over James City County, citizens could learn of it by text message before they hear the first howl of wind.

The county just launched JCC Alert, an alert network that sends emergency updates by text message or e-mail to citizens free of charge. The new program was implemented by the Emergency Management Division to help get useful information to citizens in the event of an emergency.

“Too often things happen in a heartbeat and you need to be able to get that information out to people immediately so they’re warned to do what they need to do to save their lives,” says Kathleen Hale, director of emergency services in James City County.

In extreme situations, the Emergency Management Division might opt to also send voice messages to land-line and cell phones. To register, users can visit the JCC Alert Web site and click on New User to open an account. The user will then be prompted to provide a cellular number, identify his or her service provider and choose a geographical location in the county to get area-specific updates.

The program, manufactured by Cooper Notification, was purchased with a $50,000 grant. Hale says the new program will replace some outdated notification systems. “It’s actually not increasing the cost,” she says. “It’s cost-effective, it’s fast, it’s easy and it’s very specifically targeted to what’s appropriate for families.”

The system is not tied to a geographical piece of equipment, so in the event of a power failure, Emergency Services staff could send updates through their phones.

The county tested the alert system with small groups of people for a month before launching it just in time for last week’s snow storm. Hale says the timing was coincidental, but the county was able to send a storm warning message on Saturday.

A little more than 750 people had signed up for the service by Thursday afternoon. It’s a good start, Hale says, but to be effective, the system should be utilized by all citizens. “We really should have one registration per household and one per business at a minimum,” she says.

The messages will only be sent for storm warnings and other emergency events. Messages will not be sent for storm watches or to detail evacuation and shelter information. Hale says the messages have to be short and well-worded, at 112 characters, so the county will rely on the media and its other communication forums for more detailed information about emergencies. For example, if a tornado was spotted, a message would be sent telling people about the tornado and directing them to other sources of information.

“We’re going to be very judicious with this system,” Hale says. “We’ll only put information out when there is something critical people need to know for an emergency.”