So far 80 have signed on for the program, including Dickinson and Osceola counties. Dickinson County launched its system Monday in conjunction with Severe Weather Awareness Week.
Michael Ehret, Dickinson County Emergency Management Director, said the new Wireless Emergency Notification System (WENS) goes beyond what the previously utilized NIXLE system did. The Alert Iowa system provides users messages delivered via text message, e-mail, TDD/TYY and by voice calls.
According to a video released by Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the system also has capabilities to send alerts via social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter, as well as pager notifications and computer alerts.
Dan Bechler, Osceola County Emergency Management Director, explained one way the system can be utilized.
“When the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for Osceola County, the alert will automatically go out to anybody who subscribed to the Alert Iowa system,” Bechler said.
The system is fairly advanced. Bechler noted that if an evacuation were needed for just two streets in a community, emergency management can select only affected residents to whom to send the alert.
Likewise, Bechler said if a hazmat spill were to occur on Iowa 60, for example, and the plumes were to travel across the roadway, anyone entering the area designated by emergency management with a smartphone would be alerted to the emergency regardless of signing up for the system or not. This can be beneficial in alerting travelers to hazardous conditions.
“I found it quite impressive,” Bechler said.
“It’s just another tool we have to communicate our information to the public,” Ehret said. “We’re still going to use the local radio stations, TV, newspapers have their websites and social media to get things out for us in a hurry. Basically, it’s just another tool in our toolbox to get information out to the public as quick (and) timely as possible.”
Ehret noted that all 10 cities in Dickinson County have also signed on to the system to provide emergency warnings in each area as well as county-wide emergencies. Since Monday, 350 citizens have signed up for the Dickinson Alert system. Ehret is pleased with the response so far and hopes more will take advantage.
©2015 The Daily Globe (Worthington, Minn.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
