White Plains, NY --[EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION NEWS]-- January 29, 2007 - In late 2005, Westchester County officials introduced an initiative to better reach citizens in the event of an emergency. Communications capabilities have now been expanded to alert area residents of any large-scale, critical situation by email, text and phone.
Using Dialogic’s Communicator! NXT, Westchester County can get in touch with first responders, local officials, volunteers and the like using all available communications devices. In order to have this same reach with the general public, should a major emergency occur, the County has launched a web page, http://www.westchestergov.com/cens/, to collect various contact information.
Once at Westchester County’s site, residents, businesses and not-for-profit agencies will find their own link for registration. Here they can submit cell, work and home phone numbers as well as email addresses, all of which will remain confidential. The data is then downloaded by County officials and imported into Communicator! NXT.
Andy Spano, County Executive, explains, “If people give us their email addresses and phone numbers, we will have a number of options when it comes to getting information out. We will also be able to communicate directly just as we now do with our emergency responders, local officials and the media.”
Should time permit, the Department of Emergency Services will now be able to send direct notice to the public about pending inclement weather, including blizzards and other major storms. Information can also be provided immediately following the emergency regarding issues such as road or health hazards, supplies, re-entry to damaged areas and more.
About Westchester County
Westchester County covers an area of 450 square miles and has a diverse population residing in 45 municipalities. Its geographical setting is a favorable one, with the Long Island Sound and Connecticut on the east and the Hudson River on the west. As one of the nation's most affluent counties with per capita income well above state and national levels, it has retained much of its rural character while adopting the urban and suburban lifestyles reflected by its proximity to New York City. For more information, visit www.westchestergov.com.
Westchester County Extending Its Communications Reach to the Public
