The Schuyler County Emergency Management Office to Use Location-Based Smartphone App, ping4alerts!, to Instantly Deliver Highly-Targeted Public Safety Alerts to Residents.
Beginning May 22, 2014, the Schuyler County Emergency Management Office (SCEMO) will use Ping4 Inc.’s mobile communications solutions, ping4alerts!. Users can download this free app on their Apple or Android smartphones to be instantly notified of public safety concerns.
“Using Ping4 Inc.’s technology, we are now able to notify Schuyler County’s 18,500 residents of immediate dangers and emergencies,” said Bill Kennedy, Schuyler County Emergency Management. “We can set an alert to the boundary of a town, road, building, or any other area, making sure people are only getting the information about events that may affect them.”
Ping4alerts! is a free iOS and Android app that uses the location based technology inherent in today’s smartphones to deliver notifications within a highly-localized area. Using any web-browser, SCEMO can draw a shape on a map as small as a street or broadcast a message to the entire county. Ping4 Inc. delivers rich media alerts that can include images, custom audio, video and mobile web links. These features coupled with the platform’s precise accuracy, insure public safety information is targeted, instant and, above all, relevant.
Ping4alerts! protects user anonymity and does not require users to provide any personally identifiable information such as a phone number, street address, or email address. These mobile notifications are delivered over the Internet through GPS, cellular, and available Wi-Fi networks. Citizens who download ping4alerts! will also receive NOAA’s National Weather Service advisories for severe weather. Other features include the ability to view nearby level 2 and level 3 sex offenders. Users can also establish watch locations for home, work, school, or a relative’s house to receive alerts for multiple locations.
“The value of our product is its ability to deliver time sensitive, relevant information to users based solely on location,” said Norm Archer, VP of Marketing. “This technology provides a timely and relevant communication channel to citizens, whether they be residents or visitors, during emergency situations. The Schuyler County Emergency Management Office is a fine example of forward-thinking and like-minded individuals who care about making their community safer.”
Citizens and visitors are encouraged to download ping4alerts! by simply visiting the App Store or Google Play.
Schuyler County Emergency Management
Contact: Bill Kennedy
Emergency Management/Fire Coordinator
Phone: (607)-535-8200