Frederick County is making it easier for residents to get notified in case of an emergency. The Frederick County Division of Emergency Management announced that Alert Frederick County, the County’s official emergency notification program, now offers an opt-in text service to provide emergency information to attendees of large-scale special events in Frederick County.
“We are leveraging technology so the public can stay informed in a way that is easy and convenient to them,” County Executive Jan Gardner said. “Text messages for major events is a quick way for emergency managers to reach people. The Great Frederick Fair was the perfect opportunity to launch this program.”
“During any large public gathering, it is always a challenge to effectively notify attendees in an emergency. With a simple text message, Alert Frederick County’s opt-in service enhances our ability to communicate with the public,” Emergency Management Division Director Jack Markey said.
According to a press release:
In partnership with the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, this service will be piloted during the 2019 Great Frederick Fair. Residents and visitors can text the keyword GFFair to 888777 to receive emergency and severe weather messages. When the fair ends, those who opt-in will automatically be unsubscribed. Message and data rates may apply.
“Creating a safe and secure environment for special event attendees is one of our biggest priorities every year. This technology will give us the critical ability to communicate in an emergency to residents and visitors alike,” said Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins.
If the pilot program is successful, the Division of Emergency Management plans to work closely with law enforcement to identify other opportunities to use the text opt-in service to enhance public safety during special events. Alert Frederick County is the county’s free official source for information about emergency events. The text opt-in service is just one of many ways people can stay informed with Alert Frederick County.
To learn more about the Alert Frederick County program visit FrederickCountyMD.gov/Alert.
