Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Employee Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners authorize temporary countywide employee emergency alerts using Blackboard; require 311/HR outreach and integration planning
Summary
Commissioners approved immediate use of the county’s preexisting Blackboard notification system as a temporary employee-incident notification channel, directed STARS mobile import and coordination with law enforcement dispatch centers, and tasked the Fire Marshal and Universal Services with evaluating long-term integration options.
Harris County Commissioners Court on May 8 approved immediate countywide use of the Blackboard mass-notification system (previously used during the COVID-19 pandemic) to deliver emergency incident alerts to county employees.
The court directed that employee mobile numbers be imported from the county’s STARS personnel system on a biweekly basis and required departments to encourage employees to register mobile numbers and not to opt out of emergency messaging. Commissioners asked the Fire Marshal’s Office to coordinate activation training with Harris County Sheriff’s dispatch and constable dispatch centers. County leaders also instructed Universal Services and the Fire Marshal to assess Blackboard’s long-term viability and pursue Phase 2 integrations — such as with the county phone system, active directory and digital signage.
Fire Marshal Laurie Christensen told the court the system will be used for employee safety notifications and that activation procedures and training will be coordinated with dispatch centers. Commissioners and department heads stressed the need for quick, accurate notifications after recent downtown incidents including the April courthouse shooting.
Action: Commissioner Garcia moved to authorize immediate use of the Blackboard system as a temporary solution for employee emergency incident notifications and to require STARS imports, departmental outreach and interagency training and integration planning; Commissioner Briones seconded the motion and it passed 4-0. The court accepted a friendly amendment to explore metal-detector security measures in the downtown administrative building as part of a broader security review.
Ending: The court asked departments to distribute educational materials to employees and to cooperate with training exercises; long-term integration and system improvements will be presented to the court as part of a future technical plan.
