System Integrates Emergency Alerts
The “RESPOND” system, developed by EmTel and being tested by the Palm Bay (Fla.) Emergency Operations Center, allows police and emergency managers to automatically contact other first responders and entire residential neighborhoods with warnings about weather hazards and other disasters.
The system sends messages to all telephones and e-mail inboxes in a given area, which continue until acknowledged in the case of a major emergency.
Radio and cell phone frequencies are used to contact all communications devices; a backup network is available in case the primary network is disabled by a catastrophe.
Commanders at the Palm Bay fire and police departments will receive wireless laptops for use on the system and training on when and how it should be activated.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center(NLECTC) from Florida Today (06/17/05) P. 1B; Thompson, Victor .