Board considering mass notification system

By: Ashley Vasquez

The Smithville Board of Aldermen is considering implementing a mass notification system for residents to alert them in case of an emergency or of city-related issues.

Clayton Fish of TechRadium Inc., based in Sugar Land, Texas, presented the company's mass notification system at the board's regular meeting Tuesday, Aug. 7. The system is designed to alert registered users through telephone, cell phone, text messaging and e-mail of messages that are deemed important by city officials.

Fish explained that the IRIS system, which stands for Immediate Response Information System, can be accessed by authorized city personnel through the Internet and by a click of a button can send out thousands of messages to its users in minutes.

“Our company is used all over the nation by cities, school district, fire districts and other groups,” Fish said. “Basically, what we offer is a system that can be used to notify millions of people of anything you wish.”

Specifically, the board is looking at implementing the system as a replacement for a traditional emergency warning siren system, which could cost upward of $500,000 to install. Also, the city could use the system to warn residents of water-line breaks, boil orders or to remind people to vote.

The messages are coded similarly to the Homeland Security codes of blue, green, yellow and red to alert users of the importance of the incoming message and can be sent in a variety of formats to verify receipt. The messages can also be sent to the entire listing of users or groups of users as necessary. Additionally, the Internet monitoring system can display how many people received the message, what format they received it in and when it was received.

Many board members said that the benefits of the system were endless.

“I am really excited about what I see here,” said Todd Justice, board member. “One of the major reasons I wanted to be on this board was to have an emergency warning system. I sit up at night and wonder what would happen if an F-5 tornado came through Smithville. If this system saves one life, it would be worth it.”

City Administrator Gerry Vernon also said he saw benefits in implementing the system.

“We could alert water customers of various issues and even send out shut-off notices through this,” he said. “It could save the city a lot of money in mailing costs.”

The cost for the system is about $3 per year per user, and Vernon said that the city would consider adding the service to customers' water bills. For 10,000 registered users, it would cost about $30,000 per year.

“It is a fairly inexpensive cost,” Vernon said. “Just adding the cost to the water bill once a year for the service would help fund it.”

Vernon also said that residents without Smithville water service may also be allowed to register for the mass notification system, however, the details on how that would be arranged are still to be decided.

Additionally, Vernon said that the final decision on whether to use the system and how it would be paid for would be up to the Board of Aldermen.

“They could pay for the entire service out of the budget if they wish,” he said. “It is up to them.”

In the meantime, Vernon said he would be checking references of the company, talking with other cities and groups that use IRIS, checking the capacity of phone and cell phone service in the area and following up with the board.

Smithville Editor Ashley Vasquez can be reached at 532-4444 or ashleyvasquez@npgco.com.