By opting into an established city text list, the program will provide citizens with real-time updates about announcements such as rain alerts, road closures and trash notices. By texting keywords or key phrases, citizens can also learn more about their interests such as "parks" or "athletics."
Using the FEMA Integrated Public Alert & Warning System, IPAWS, and geofence technology, the city can also notify residents in a certain geographic area or areas via cell phone about boil water advisories without the residents opting into the city text list. Other announcements may be approved to use this system as well at a later date.
Gary Meadows, the city's media coordinator, said IPAWS is special because when it alerts cell phones in a specific area that alert will remain active. When someone is crossing through the alert area they will be notified even if they were not there when the alert was initially sent out. For example, a resident's home may be under a boil water advisory but the resident may be at work and not receive the alert but then come home and receive the alert because they entered the alert area.
"This platform is just going to be another valuable tool for the city and for the community," Meadows said. "We want to make it convenient for our residents to connect with people across the city."
The city acquired the service from the Utah-based software vendor TextMyGov. The program was acquired for around $13,000 and there will be a recurring fee. Meadows did not specify the exact amount but said it will be around half of the up-front fee.
Meadows said the new system would be a good use of money and provide residents with another way to get real-time information from the city.
The program officially launched July 5 but citizens have been able to use it since the phone number was made public at a city council meeting June 26, according to Meadows. He said research on what program to use lasted for a little over a year before TextMyGov was chosen. Onboarding for the program began in April.
Meadows said around 5,000 residents already use the app and he hopes even more people will use the text service.
The city of Aiken has been working to expand communication with outlets like the city app and livestreams of meetings. Meadows said TextMyGov is just another way to connect with the city.
"I'm still going to be looking for different innovative ways to communicate with the public because that's what we should be doing," Meadows said.
Aiken residents can immediately begin using TextMyGov by texting their questions or interests to (803) 989-7779 and can opt into alerts such as trash notices by texting AIKENTRASH to 91896.
©2023 the Aiken Standard, Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
