Sampson County residents can now sign up for a system that allows them to receive emergency notifications sent from state and local authorities. Sampson County Alert. available free to all, goes live Jan. 1, 2020.
Sampson County Alert keeps residents and travelers informed on potentially hazardous situations involving weather, traffic and other emergencies, local officials said.
Cliff Brown, assistant telecommunications manager for Sampson County Emergency Services, said Sampson County Alert would allow residents to be a part of a fast, reliable mass notification system — that is free to citizens.
“We’re glad to announce this and get it out there,” said Brown. “We’ve needed this for a long time.”
In case of the most drastic of emergencies, such as hurricanes and the like, residents can be removed from areas as needed, Brown said. He pointed specifically to Black River Lane in the Ivanhoe area, flooded badly during Hurricane Florence.
“We can do this by text, email, phone call, Twitter, Facebook….” said Brown.
Sampson County Alert enables residents and travelers to sign up for free at getrave.com/login/sampsonnc to receive timely and actionable emergency alerts via email, text or voice message. They can also identify when and how they are alerted and communicated with before, during and after emergencies.
Sampson County residents and travelers can also download the Smart911 app (on the Apple Store or Google Play or by texting “Smart911” to 67283) to sign up for Sampson County Alert to receive key information needed in an emergency. Those interested can also visit sampsonnc.com and click on the Sampson County alert link.
Brown said it was a simple, three-step process to sign up, and a free service for residents that is offered at a cost footed by the county.
“Sampson County Alert enables authorities to notify the community in real time,” said Ronald Bass, Emergency Services Director. “This service allows for critical communication with the public and provides individuals with the information needed to stay safe or take precautions during hazardous or emergency situations.”
The Smart911 app provides enhanced functionality by sending targeted alerts based on the user’s location. Smart911 app users will receive the highest priority National Weather Service alerts including tornado warnings, flash flood warnings, and severe thunderstorm warnings based on their real-time location.
“Community members will receive notifications that will improve safety in our county and help inform residents of potentially lifesaving actions they may need to take in an emergency,” said Bass. “The information sent out by Sampson County Alert through emergency notifications allows both residents and first responders to be better informed in an emergency situation.”
The system, known widely as Rave Alert, is trusted by thousands of institutions including state and local authorities, business and educational institution. Rave Alert sends millions of messages daily and performs flawlessly in critical situations such as severe weather, officials said.
Community members are encouraged to sign up for Sampson County Alert at getrave.com/login/sampsonnc or in the Smart911 App.
“When authorities have information about a situation, such as storm or emergency, they can be moreeffective in providing information to the public and appropriate assistance,” said Susan Holder, Sampson County public information officer. “We encourage all members of our community and their families to sign up for Sampson County Alert in order to be prepared should an emergency occur.”