Emergency alert: New Bern introduces new, localized warning system
New Bern residents now have a new way to receive possibly life-saving emergency alerts about events in their specific part of town.
New Bern Alerts is a partnership between the city of New Bern and CivicReady, an emergency notification and critical event management system. The platform is free to subscribers and is available as a mobile app for Android and iOS users called “myAlerts.”
Residents who subscribe to New Bern Alerts will receive urgent notifications, emergency instructions, warnings, and routine communications via email, text messages and voicemail alerts.
Subscribers will also receive weather alerts from the National Weather Service.
In the event of a local emergency, citizens subscribed to New Bern Alerts will have the advantage of immediate, actionable information and instructions sent to their preferred method of notification.
New Bern Alerts features geotargeting, which allows the city to reach users within a specific geographical area to communicate emergency information. One example of the type of location-specific notifications available with New Bern Alerts would be an evacuation alert to subscribers within a certain area in the event of a gas leak.
Colleen Roberts, City of New Bern public information officer, said New Bern Alerts was put to good use during Hurricane Ian last week.
"We deployed two comprehensive alerts that went to text, email, voice, and mobile app users alerting them to weather conditions, street closures, flood inundation levels & wind speeds," Roberts said via email. "We encouraged them to stay home if they did not need to go out. We also informed them of event cancellations (the Movie in the Park at Union Point that was scheduled for Friday)."
Residents who are already registered for New Bern’s CodeRed notifications will be required to sign up for New Bern Alerts in order to continue receiving alert messages.
The alerts are provided free of charge, though standard text messaging rates and other charges may apply.
New Bern Alerts will also provide subscribers with more routine information based on their preferences. The platform offers 14 categories to choose from including Street Closures, Parks and Facilities, Summer Camps, New Bern 101, Resiliency, New Bern Police Department (non-emergency), New Bern Fire-Rescue (non-emergency), Trash/Bulk Waste/Leaf and Limb Pickup, General Info, Emergency Alerts, Recreation Programs, City Events, Aquatics, and Afterschool Activities.
According to City Manager Foster Hughes, the partnership with CivicReady is designed to keep citizens safe and informed.
“New Bern Alerts allows the city to share information in a new way,” Hughes said in an email response. “We can send emergency messaging and instructions like we always have, but now subscribers can choose which additional information and updates they want to receive. These non-emergency alerts can keep residents and families informed about street closures, city events, parks and recreation programs, and more. New Bern Alerts is a valuable tool in the City’s efforts to inform, engage and communicate with residents.”
Hughes said the city decided to partner with CivicReady because of the "flexibility and functionality" of their software platform.
"Another priority for us was the ease of use. We wanted a platform that was easy to sign up for, easy to navigate, and easy to use for residents and for staff," Hughes said.
Residents who are interested in subscribing can download the “myAlerts” app or register for an account at www.newbernnc.gov/newbernalerts.
The “myAlerts” mobile app allows the user to receive weather alerts and geotargeted alerts. To select routine information requires registration of an account through the website link.
This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: Emergency alert: New Bern introduces new, localized warning system
