Citizen Alert System Unveiled July 15
Pierce County regional leaders will launch an emergency mass notification system – Pierce County ALERT – for residents and businesses in the county on Thursday, July 15, at 10 a.m. at the south entrance of the Tacoma Mall (next to BJ’s Restaurant).
Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy, Pierce County Emergency Management Director Steve Bailey, East Pierce Fire & Rescue Asst. Chief John McDonald and Tacoma Police Asst. Chief Bob Sheehan (representing the Pierce County Fire Chiefs Association and the Pierce County Police Chiefs Association) will demonstrate the new program. Mayors, police and fire chiefs from partnering jurisdictions will also attend.
Pierce County ALERT is a mass notification system that allows the Department of Emergency Management and other first responders to notify residents via a “reverse 911″ type of message. Besides automatically sending the messages to land lines, Pierce County ALERT enhances the ability to contact residents by allowing them to opt in and add up to 10 modes of receiving these alerts, including cell phones, work phones, pagers, text messages, e-mails and faxes.
Recent studies have shown that 25 percent of households are wireless – meaning they just use cell phones as home phones. Pierce County ALERT opt-ins will help to notify that quarter of the population that is wireless.
Residents and businesses in Pierce County can opt in on the Internet, by phone or by mail. The preferred method is over the Internet by accessing the Pierce County ALERT button at the bottom of the Pierce County government’s home page – located at www.piercecountywa.org and following the opt-in instructions at the bottom right corner of the page.
People can also call the Department of Emergency Management at 253-798-6595 for more information and to register over the phone. General information and frequently asked questions about Pierce County ALERT can be found at www.piercecountywa.org/ALERT.
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