Managing editor
The City of Marion may have an opportunity to contact Marion residents by way of text messaging and other forms communication for weather alerts or upcoming events.
City administrator David Mayfield told the council Monday that Marion County Emergency Communications was considering participating in the notification program, which would allow the city to use it.
With this program, city officials can send messages through a remote computer to utility customers via text messages, cell phones, landlines, and e-mail.
Only those who want to be contacted would be after submitting information.
If the city joins the county in the program, it first will be tested among city officials.
Mayfield also said the communication system could be used to notify players and parents when ballgames are postponed or canceled.
Following the meeting, Michele Abbott, director of Marion County Communications and Emergency Management was contacted regarding the program.
The alert notification system would be provided by ADT Security Systems, she said.
Abbott said the county has an opportunity to try the program as a pilot for one year.
“Normally, there is a $1,500 activation fee and the cost is $4 per user,” Abbott said.
Currently, the company is waiving the activation fee for the county and any other entity wanting to use the program, and the cost per user is $1.50.
The company is mindful of budget constraints of taxing entities.
“The contract would lock in the county and other entities for five years but after two years, we can walk away,” Abbott said.
The proposition has not yet been presented to Marion County Commission but Abbott is confident the commission will see the value of the system and approve the pilot program.
“I want to utilize it for emergency responders,” she said.
Three different phone numbers and an e-mail address can be utilized per person on the receiving end.
“This is one action vs. calling each person individually,” Abbott said. “It will be a tremendous timesaver.”
Another example of the use of the program would be notifying appropriate personnel for training meetings which can be pre-set in the system and sent to those in the specific group at the appropriate times. There also is a way for receivers to respond, indicating whether they will attend the event.
It also could be used for Amber Alerts when a child is missing and information can be dispatched in a timely manner.