Alertify to Offer Grants to Universities Providing Emergency Alert Service at No Cost
In response to funding struggles in states like Florida, Omvox Telecom Corp. has extended a grant program to provide its Alertify mass alerting and notification system at no cost to colleges and universities nationwide.
Michael Self, founder and CEO of Omvox, the Fort Lauderdale, FL-based parent of Alertify, sees the grant program as an immediate, interim solution to a long-term need. To date, the Alertify grant program has been tapped by 50 schools nationwide.
“While schools struggle with the question of what to do long term, they can use Alertify until they have a permanent, long-term plan in place,” says Self, who has designed notification systems for the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Navy in the 1990s, and created one of the first mass-alert systems in 1989. “We can have them up and working in two days, giving them time to resolve funding issues and evaluate the best solution for their needs.”
Self says that immediately after hurricane Katrina, Omvox put a system in place that helped evacuees get in touch with friends and relatives, at no cost. From weather alerts to classroom changes to on-campus emergencies, these services immediately send thousands of users must-know information in minutes.
Universities who are interested in applying for the Alertify grant program should complete an application online at www.alertify.com or call the company directly at 1-888-98-OMVOX, extension 257. Schools subscribed to the system enter each student, parent, and/or guardian’s contact information. This includes e-mail or text addresses, and landline or wireless phone numbers.
When an emergency arises, such as a weather alert or school security issue, the system administrator or authorized user logs on to the secure Web site and sends a recorded or text message instantly to those contacts. The solution can be used to remind parents about upcoming grade school assemblies or events or a professor can tell students of a classroom change.
Omvox Telecom, based in South Florida, is comprised of engineers, entrepreneurs, and designers. Offering high-quality communications solutions such as IVR, ACD, CTI, SMS, MMS, Teleservices, Business Intelligence Suites, and Interactive Consumer Web Sites, Omvox Telecom is committed to delivering the best technology available.