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Dorchester County emergency management describes Everbridge reach, considers HyperReach and asks residents to opt in
Summary
Emergency management said the county's Everbridge alerting database contains more than 21,000 contacts plus 2,000 opt-ins, and is evaluating HyperReach to speed notifications; staff offered alternative sign-up methods for residents without internet access.
Dorchester County's emergency management director gave the council an overview of county alerting capabilities and plans to modernize the system following recent national coverage of missed or delayed local alerts.
Jimmy Windsor, director of emergency management, briefed the council on the county's current system and alternatives. "With our Everbridge system, currently in the database, we have just over 21,000 contacts," Windsor said, adding that those contacts are drawn from 9-1-1 directories, white pages, business listings and other public sources. Another roughly 2,000 residents have manually signed up through the county website.
Windsor said Everbridge can send geofenced messages for events such as the closure of the Hooper's Island Causeway, and that his office is discussing replacing Everbridge with a different platform (HyperReach) that staff find more user-friendly and faster to push messages from a mobile device. He said contacts can be exported so existing opt-ins would transfer to a new system.
Windsor also said the county is updating its emergency operations plan in coordination with the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and state partners. Council members asked that staff post the alert sign-up link on the county Facebook page, and Windsor said residents may also provide name, address and preferred contact method by mail to 829 Gilchrist Road for staff to enter into the system.
No procurement decision was made at the meeting; staff said evaluation of alternative vendors and a potential multi-year contract will continue outside the public meeting environment.
