Pike County EMA Continues Propose Mass Alert System
After last month’s round of severe weather, Pike County EMA officials are still pushing the idea of a mass alert system. Right now, county commissioners are getting feedback from area departments on the system.
“Currently right now, all the town of Goshen has is voice broadcasting, says Traci Shavers of Goshen.
Leaders in Goshen believe a better system, would better serve residents.
“Right now, from our local level – get online there at the office, actually doing the call-in an leave a voice message and we can seend that out to our resident,” says Shavers.
The proposed alert system would be able to reach everyone in a matter of seconds during times of severe weather.
“We’ll be able to text cell phones, call land lines, and send emails to anybody within the radius of a cell tower in the county, says Commissioner Russell Johnson.
Officials say the system is also cheaper than the maintenance of their storm sirens. The maintenance of two sirens is $20,000 a year. While a mass alert system is just over $6,000 a year.
“We’re going to be able to increase our reach to the citizens by over $65 percent with less money so it’s almost a no-brainer,” says Johnson.
The system is not just limited to use by the Pike County EMA.
“If the sheriff’s department had a burglary or kidnapping -anything the sheriff’s department could send out a notification. If we had a storm and a bridge was blown out or a road was damaged, the engineer would be able to immediately notify everybody,” says Johnson.
For the county, the system, is a new modern way to help save lives.
County commissioners plan to make a decision on whether or not to implement the system, during their next meeting on Monday, February 27th.
