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An emergency situation can occur at any time. There can be severe weather, an Amber alert, public safety situation, or other crisis situations arise at any time. Many states emergency management agencies are taking the initiative and implementing mass text message systems to keep the public informed.

California

In August 2010 the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) teamed up with Sprint to launch the first mass text message alert system in the U.S. The Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) was designed to deliver safety information and warnings via SMS. It began in San Diego and eventually spread to other counties including Orange County (AlertOC). The messages are sent to cell phones and smart phones as text messages, but subscribers can also opt into email notifications as well as devices for the hearing impaired. Los Angeles County also came online with their Alert LA County Emergency Mass Notification System and other California counties have followed suit.

New York State

The State of New York has NY-Alert which is a division of the New York State Office of Information Technology Services (ITS). People interested in receiving alerts can enroll in the NY-Alert website. During enrollment the user enters their address to indicate their desired alerting area and select their message option: voice messages, text messages, or both. The NY-Alert website runs current alerts in real time as well as current press releases. Anyone can see warning about flooding, high winds, storms, public safety issues and other emergency situations throughout the state.

Texas

The Office of Emergency Management of Galveston County has a county-wide mass text message alert system. Individuals and businesses can sign up under the link for the jurisdiction for which they are interested in receiving emergency notifications. The system sends out alerts via text messages for home land lines, cell or smart phones, or business phones.

They can also receive notifications at their email account or hearing impaired receiving devices. Once signed up, enrollees can access their portal on their smart phone or iPhone via an app. They can sign up for specified alerts and the service only sends alerts to the contact information given at the time of sign up only for emergencies or the topics that they choose.

Washington, D.C.

While not technically a state, Washington, D.C. has one of the most comprehensive, effective mass communication emergency systems in the country. When the Washington Metro Red Line trains collided in June 2009 emergency went out almost immediately via The District’s emergency alert system AlertDC to inform residents of the tragedy and to advise commuters of massive delays throughout the Metro Rail System. In 2011 the earthquake the damaged the Washington Monument received immediate response by AlertDC directing commuters and residents to evacuation routes and advising of traffic delays.

The messages that are sent out via text and email alert enrollees of the standard commuter delays, traffic issues, delays on the Metro Rail, and weather, but they also advise of police activity within the National Capital Region as well. These messages are as much for possible commuter delays as they are a matter of public safety.

While the alert area originates in Washington, D.C., it does extend to cover parts of Maryland and Northern Virginia, the National Capital Region. This is partly because so many employees working in D.C. live outside of The District, but also because the Pentagon, Reagan National Airport, and various federal agencies have offices in these areas. This wide area that covers parts of two states and The District make AlertDC a unique emergency alert system.

Other States using SMS for Emergency Alert Systems

Other states, including New Jersey, Massachusetts, Florida, and other states have implemented SMS emergency notification systems in various cities and counties. The National Weather Service also allows individuals to sign up for email and SMS weather alert services; many can be customized for specific states. For instance, the Alabama Saf-T-Net is a weather alerting service for residents of the state, but can also be sent nationwide via an app on their smart phone. The project was started in 2011 following the severe tornado activity in the state in April 2011.

Emergencies can happen anywhere at any time. The more prepared people are, the more likely they can avoid injury and serious situations. By alerting the public of traffic situations they can avoid those areas thus decreasing the risk of exacerbating the situation. Using mass text messages for critical alerts is a smart, effective way to protect the public and maintain order.

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