Science
(2009-08-10)
COLUMBIA, MO
(KBIA) -
The Columbia Fire Department is working on a system to quickly notify you if there's an accident tying up traffic, a snow emergency, or a water main break -just to name a few. The technology is called Nixle. And it's a text based system that sends alerts to cell phones, e-mail or both. The program is free to municipalities like Columbia and its also free for residents. Columbia Fire Marshall Steven Sapp says the system is designed to help public service agencies instantly connect with residents. "Selected people in various departments are able to put these messages out so different so again you know you are getting a trusted an secure source of government information. Its not something that can be hacked into and false message be put out."
The messages will be divided into several categories including alerts, advisories, and community messages. The alert is something that needs to be put out right away, an advisory is something residents will want to know about, but its not quite as important as an alert, and a community message will be used to advertise events -such as fire prevention week.
"We can use our blackberries to send Nixle alerts out. We can use our notebooks or most commonly we'll use public safety joint communications who are just sitting in front of a terminal to get those messages out. to see these message out but from many different agencies this information can be sent out to these cell phones or e-mail accounts."
The fire department is in the process of establishing policies about who will have access to Nixle. Sapp says he hopes within the next few months the department will be able to go live with the system and then residents can begin signing up to get the alerts. Sapp says the city envisions eventually expanding the program beyond just the fire department.
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