Upson Alerts – The County’s Mass Notification System
Upson County provides a mass notification system for each and every citizen of Upson County. In 2012, Everbridge was chosen as the platform to provide this service. At that time, everyone’s home phone number was placed in a database that Everbridge could use, allowing dispatchers to create a notification regarding severe weather events that could impact our county.
In 2015, the platform was updated to utilize automated weather alerts based on the National Weather Service’s ability to pinpoint specific areas by using polygons to map out regions needing notifications. And all those phone umbers were ‘grandfathered’ into the new notification platform.
Today, that system is called Upson Alerts, powered by Everbridge and can be used to not only warn citizens automatically of severe weather watches and warnings, but to also notify specific areas of such things as road closures, boil water notices, utility outages, escaped prisoners and other important information that needs to be communicated with the public in a swift manner.
A few things explained will help you, the citizen, be better served. The phone number 706-647-6561 is used as an identifying number when a notification is issued. Store that number instead of blocking it so that you receive timely notifications. If you don’t want to receive the notifications, request to be removed from the system. This does not include notifications from your wireless carrier like Amber alerts.
Automated severe weather alerts happen when four specific events occur. Those are Severe Thunderstorm and Tornado watches, and Severe Thunderstorm and Tornado Warnings. Watches usually are in effect for several hours, warnings usually last for about 30-45 minutes, unless they are extended. Automation of these four specific events were put in place to alleviate 911 dispatchers from having to actually send the notifications. When the weather gets bad, they have their hands full taking emergency calls, and this feature allows the notifications to go through unassisted. There is not an “all clear” issued when events expire. Too many notifications overuse the system and make folks complacent about notifications.
The notification system has a “quiet time” feature that stops notifications during set hours, with the exception of a tornado warning. That alert is going to come through, no matter what time of day or night it may be. Current quiet hours are set at midnight to 5 AM. However, for those to be in effect, each person needs set their own preference by going online through the member portal and selecting what you want and when you want it. If you do not have access to the internet, or you do not recall what your account settings are, or if you were ‘grandfathered in,’ EMA will be glad to assist you in setting your preferences. We would ask that you send us the form below stating your name, your address and your contact number(s) and what specific notifications you’d like to receive. There are currently over 10,000 names in our database. A paper trail is needed to properly set each and every name/contact information to specific preferences. If you’d like to be excluded from watches that may occur at an early morning hour, again, notify us in writing, of your preferences and we can manually change your information in our database. Granted, it will take a while, but we will get it done as quickly as possible.
Name
Address
City, St, Zip
Contact Numbers 1) 2) 3)
Landline or Cell Landline or Cell Landline or Cell
If cell, prefer voice call
or text message? Voice call Both Text message Voice call Both Text message Voice call Both Text message
Prefer email? Email -
Quiet Hours Start 10P, 11P, Midnight, 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8A Circle one
Quiet Hours Stop 10P, 11P, Midnight, 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8A Circle one
Alerts – Severe Weather Severe Thunderstorm Watch Severe Thudnerstorm Warning
Tornado Watch Tornado Warning
Alerts - Community Road Closures Boil Water Notice Crime
Utility Outage Emergency Shelters Mandatory Evacuations
Hazardous Materials Missing Persons
Exclude from alert type?
Special needs? Oxygen-dependent Rx-dependent
To update your information, Clip and mail completed form to
Upson Emergency Management Agency
P O Box 348
Thomaston, GA 30286
A few more tips…When you get a message, confirm receipt by pressing 1 on your phone when the message is finished, or text YES as a reply to the message. Do not use *69 to recall the 6561 number, as this delays further notifications getting out. It does take a few minutes to call 10,000+ folks. Store 706-647-6561 as Upson Alerts and know that if you received a call from that number, it was a notification of some sort, likely severe weather.
If you don’t receive notifications and would like to, register at this link…
https://member.everbridge.net/index/892807736724247#/signup or download the Everbridge app from your app store . Enter your preferences when you register. The address you connect with your contact information must be an address that is within Upson County. Any addresses beyond county boundaries will not receive notifications.
For more information, contact EMA Director Martha Anne McCarty at 706/647-5600 or at EMA@upsoncountyga.org
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