City to join countywide emergency-notification system; county will fund first two years

Chief Klinger told the Board of Aldermen on Sept. 2 that the city will move to a countywide emergency-notification system that Franklin County and participating agencies selected, and that the county will fund the system for the first two years. The system replaces an older reverse-911 landline-based system and a sign-up system put in place in 2020. The new platform includes features staff said will be described in detail at the next meeting by Director Schulman, including geo-fencing and data import capabilities. Chief Klinger said staff has discussed importing water and sewer records to build notification lists but reminded residents the single best way to ensure they receive notices is to sign up for the system. Why it matters: A countywide, integrated system may provide more consistent emergency messaging across jurisdictions and avoid duplicate vendor agreements for neighboring agencies. Funding for the first two years reduces immediate city costs. Key points: The system will go live at the end of the month; Director Schulman will present detailed functionality and data-import options at the next meeting. The city retains its outdoor siren system for immediate warnings; residents who receive messages will have the ability to opt out of future messages if desired. What to watch: Director Schulman will provide a technical presentation at the board’s next meeting describing opt-in/import processes and capabilities; staff will confirm which data sources will be permitted for import into the countywide platform.