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New smartphone emergency alerts activated in Rock County

By
Mavis Fodness

The Rock County emergency officials now have the ability to send local messages to everyone’s cell phone.
Sheriff Evan Verbrugge and Emergency Management Director Kyle Oldre are now certified to use the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System or IPAWS.
“As long as you don’t deactivate it off your smartphone, you’re going to get the information,” Verbrugge said.
IPAWS is administrated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and is a part of the nation’s alert and warning system, according to the FEMA website.
IPAWS provides messages of high alert on a nationwide basis to citizens in a time of civil defense, natural disaster, terrorist attack or other hazards to public safety.
The same system can be used locally to broadcast messages of missing persons, hazardous materials transport and public safety messages if personnel receive the proper certification.
The county currently subscribes to the Nixle system, which is primarily used by the sheriff’s office. Anyone who wants to receive messages about weather alerts and road closures must sign up for the service.
There was no added cost to the county or its users for IPAWS.
Verbrugge said a message sent through the system must meet certain criteria before it is broadcast. Proper use of the system was covered during the certification training.
Forty-four counties in Minnesota are certified to use the IPAWS system with Lyon and Pipestone counties located in southwest Minnesota. Also certified is the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
IPAWS is also available nationwide.
Travelers will automatically receive messages on their phones if traveling through a county sending an IPAWS message.

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