Local Citizens Urged to Enroll in Mass Notification System
By: Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2015, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
Both Eagle Pass and Maverick County citizens are encouraged to participate and enroll in the Everbridge System for Mass Notification Citizen Alerts that is in the process of being implemented by the City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County.
The City of Eagle Pass is now using the Everbridge System for Citizen Alerts to communicate with thousands of businesses and residents in minutes in the event of a local emergency.
Everbridge is an industry-leading interactive communication and mass notification solutions provider that helps organizations save lives, manage critical activities and improve the efficiency of daily operations.
With the Everbridge system, the City of Eagle Pass will be able to alert residents about severe weather, fires, floods, toxic environmental issues and in process violent crimes. Messages can be sent to individuals using a variety of contact mechanisms– cell phone, landline, email, text messaging, fax, pager, and more – ensuring that residents and town/city staff receive life-saving emergency information and important public service announcements in minutes.
In addition, the City plans to use the Everbridge system to notify residents about other important activities, such as road closures and water utility maintenance.
To sign up for emergency alerts, please visit the City of Eagle Pass website at http://www.eaglepasstx.us/ . A link to the registration portal can be found at the bottom of the homepage. If you choose to opt-in, it is imperative to include a physical address (911 address) and avoid using lot/block numbers and/or P.O. Box numbers to ensure accurate dispersal of critical information. Standard text messaging and other cell phone charges may apply as per your cell phone service provider.
This service is intended for citizens residing within the city limits of Eagle Pass. Maverick County residents residing outside of the city limits will have the opportunity to sign up using the Maverick County Everbridge Mass Notification System on a separate portal to be announced by Maverick County officials at a future date.
The City of Eagle Pass approved the use of the Everbridge Mass Notification System on Tuesday, October 7, 2014 at their monthly meeting.
Eagle Pass City Manager Gloria Barrientos stated that the system was important because it would enhance emergency services in our community.
“The system will only cover residents in the city limits. This will basically allow us to send vital emergency information to the public and safety reminders and it can also be used to poll the general public on different issues. Rather than having the sirens and nobody knowing what it is this system would actually send a text, phone call or an email to individuals who are registered to the system,” said Barrientos.
Maverick County Commissioners Court also approved a service agreement between Maverick County and Everbridge, Inc. for a Mass Notification System at their special meeting held on Monday, December 29, 2014.
Emergency Operation Center Director Leopoldo “Polo” Vielma presented the item to Commissioners Court and stated that the system was vital in properly serving the community with potential life- saving information.
Maverick County residents are asked to keep an eye out for notification of the signing up process to the Everbridge Mass Notification System for persons residing in the county which is being set up at the present time.
Eagle Pass Fire Chief Manuel (Sonny) Mello has stated that the notification system will surely be beneficial to the community as it will give emergency departments another tool to safe guard the residents.
“Anyone interested in signing up for this very important alert system can do so by logging on to the City of Eagle Pass website and sign up for the mass notification system,” said Fire Chief Mello.
