Mass Notification Goes Out to the Masses in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania

Mass notification systems, tied to fire systems, emergency phones or outsourced to specialty firms, have taken off for schools, colleges and universities as well as local governments. Now New Hampshire sees value in the tech.

It has a new emergency preparedness Web site. The site, ReadyNH, will become the state’s primary location for information on emergencies. It also will provide seasonal and year-round information on planning for emergencies. It is organized around the themes, “Stay, leave, connect.” Depending on the situation, residents may need to stay inside for at least 72 hours or evacuate and need to have a plan to communicate with loved ones. The director of state Homeland Security and Emergency Management said in each of the disasters New Hampshire has faced since the flood of October 2005, the state has had to create a disaster information Web site. He said ReadyNH will assume that role. The ReadyNH service is so far one way – citizens can hop on it for the state’s emergency spin.

In Pennsylvania, Governor Edward Rendell launched its state-wide emergency notification system, AlertPA, powered by Cooper Notification’s Roam Secure Alert Network.

“When emergencies, severe weather, and other life and health threatening incidents occur, Pennsylvanians can be among the first to know by signing up for AlertPA,” said Governor Rendell. “The system allows citizens to choose to be notified about emergencies and other announcements.”

AlertPA is an interoperable communications system that helps officials quickly send emergency text and email alerts, and other important notifications, to the public to assist them in making informed decisions. Individuals can register for AlertPA by going to http://www.pa.gov/ and clicking on Alerts & Advisories. Users can choose the method of notification – pager, text or email – and select what type of information they would like to receive.

Individuals can choose from a variety of alerts including weather warnings, public health notifications, airport delays, consumer product recalls, prison notifications and more.

Need more information about mass notification? Check out the resources and archive at Security Magazine.

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