Amador Public Health launches anonymous preparedness app to deliver localized alerts

At the start of the Board meeting, Diana Haley, a program manager with Amador County Public Health, announced the launch of a new preparedness app the department will use to push verified health and safety alerts to residents. Haley said the app (PH app) is free, anonymous — no personal data required — and allows users to select Amador County to receive localized notifications. The app aggregates verified sources such as the National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control and permits county public‑health staff to push customized alerts and associated resources.

Haley noted the app is available on iPhone and Android and as a web‑based version and supports more than 50 languages so residents who do not speak English as a first language can receive alerts in their preferred language. Supervisors asked about coordination with the sheriff’s office; Haley said evacuation and immediate law‑enforcement directives still come from the sheriff but that the app is intended for situational awareness and preparedness messaging, and the county can push sheriff‑issued orders through the app if requested.

Why it matters: A multilingual, county‑specific alert channel increases residents’ access to verified preparedness information and allows local public health staff to coordinate communications for events such as weather, disease outbreaks or resource updates.