Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Alerts topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Warrick County to study mass-notification options, tables decision for two weeks
Summary
County emergency management briefed commissioners on three mass-notification vendors (HyperReach, Rave, Regroup) and integration with FEMA’s IPAWS; commissioners voted to table a procurement decision to allow further discussion with the sheriff’s office and dispatch.
County emergency management staff and Emergency Management Director Matt Gable presented three vendors for a countywide mass-notification system and recommended HyperReach, saying it offered both opt‑in features and integration with FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS).
Gable told commissioners he had run demonstrations with Regroup, HyperReach and Rave and provided a cost breakdown in the packet. He said HyperReach’s package was about $13,000 for a multi‑year term and included IPAWS integration; Rave’s three‑year proposal was listed at $42,640 (first‑year $14,880). Gable said the goal was a reliable system to notify residents for severe weather, boil-water notices, road closures and other emergencies.
Commissioners and the sheriff raised concerns about opt‑in models and public reach. Several speakers emphasized that opt‑in-only systems historically attracted a small portion of the county population; one participant noted the county has about 65,000 residents but fewer than 10,000 were signed up on previous systems.
Sheriff’s staff and other commissioners urged caution because vendors differ in capabilities and market presence. A sheriff’s office representative and other commissioners emphasized that any IPAWS connection requires FEMA training for dispatch staff.
After discussion, a commissioner moved and the board seconded a motion to table the procurement for two weeks to allow commissioners to confer with the sheriff’s department, dispatch and county counsel and return with a recommendation at the next meeting. The motion to table carried with the board’s assent.
Residents who spoke during public comment backed improving county alerting. William Yockey, a resident who lives near a recent wildfire, said he did not receive early warnings and asked that the county publicize any new system and allow public input. Jim Shields, another resident, urged broader community ownership of notification responsibilities and observed that local media and county notifications share responsibility for public information.
No vendor contract was executed. Commissioners asked staff to bring a clarified recommendation and cost comparison back at the next meeting.
