GAINESVILLE - The City of Gainesville and Hall County Government are launching two new Public Service Announcements (PSAs) on TV 18-The Government Channel next month to help advertise the Citizen's Alert System. The civic engagement tool is a one-stop shop for the reporting of road and fire hazards, storm damage and other concerns. <br />
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The PSAs feature several well-known area residents, including Hall County District 4 Commissioner Jeff Stowe, City Councilmember Myrtle Figueras and radio personalities Bill Maine and Joel Williams from the Bill and Joel Morning Show on WDUN AM 550 and FM 102.9. <br />
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"It was a pleasure working with the TV 18 crew on our PSA," Stowe said. "Hopefully, it will serve as a clever way to inform citizens about this service."<br />
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The PSAs highlight the Citizen's Alert System's smartphone application, which allows citizens the opportunity to report potential hazards and concerns to their local government.<br />
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"It doesn't matter where you live. Just take a picture of the hazard with your smartphone and send it in," Gainesville Public Works Director David Dockery said. "Hall County Dispatch will make sure it goes to the right government."<br />
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In order to utilize the service, citizens must first register at alerts.hallcounty.org.<br />
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"Once someone has registered for the Citizen's Alert System, they can download the Everbridge application, take a picture of the hazard and send it to us," said David Kimbrell, Hall County Fire Chief and Emergency Management Agency Director for Gainesville-Hall County.<br />
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He said he hopes the PSAs will make more citizens aware of the service and encourage them to take advantage of the opportunity to communicate with their local governments about any hazards they see or concerns they may have.<br />
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"We want to take care of these issues before they become truly hazardous," said Kimbrell.<br />
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The PSAs will air beginning Feb. 1 on TV 18, which can be viewed on Charter Communications' channel 18 and on Comcast Communications' channel 23.
