HOMER — Banks County citizens and businesses have a new option to be better informed in the event of severe weather or other emergencies.
Banks County Emergency Management Agency / E-9-1-1 Director Deidra Moore said the new mass notification system is coming to the county citizens through grant funding.
"This is a new way to keep our citizens better informed with reliable and fast information that can include public safety alerts, emergency notices and instructions and important local notices," Moore said.
Banks County residents may receive alerts via a phone call to their home or cell phone, a text message to their cell phone, or via email.
"We have uploaded all published telephone numbers to receive only severe thunderstorm watches and warnings and tornado watches and warnings," Moore said.
Moore said residents will need to register to receive any additional information outside the severe weather alerts. And residents need to register cell phone or email accounts — anything other than a published home phone — where they would like to receive alerts.
Users can subscribe for more than a dozen types of alerts, including:
♦ Senior center information;
♦ Wanted person information;
♦ Government closures;
♦ Weather — Most likely events to impact Banks County;
♦ Weather — Only severe thunderstorms and tornadoes;
♦ Community announcements;
♦ Recreation announcements;
♦ Public hearing or meeting notices;
♦ Missing person lookouts;
♦ Evacuations requested;
♦ Shelter in place requested;
♦ Road closures;
♦ Boil water advisories; and
♦ Water outages.
To sign up, visit the Banks County website at bankscountyga.org and click on the provided Swift911Public link on the left side of the homepage; visit the App Store and download the Swift911Public mobile app and follow the directions provided; or text Swift11 to 99538 from a mobile device.
All information is strictly confidential and will not be released to anyone outside Banks County EMA / E-9-1-1.
"Again, we are excited to bring this to our citizens through grant funding," Moore said. "It is a win/win for all of us and especially for our citizens' safety."
Anyone with questions can email Moore at [email protected].
http://accesswdun.com/article/2017/2/496567/banks-county-rolls-out-new-mass-notification-system