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Boyd County to switch emergency notifications from AlertSense to HyperReach; go‑live Aug. 30
Summary
County staff told the fiscal court the county will transition mass notifications from AlertSense to HyperReach because AlertSense proposed a large price increase; HyperReach go‑live is scheduled for Aug. 30 and early sign-ups rose to 7,049 from under 5,000. County officials said IPAWS/EAS emergency alerts will be unaffected.
County staff reported that Boyd County will transition its mass‑notification system from AlertSense to HyperReach, citing price increases and a vendor committee review.
The presenter said the county has used AlertSense since 2016 but that AlertSense proposed tiered pricing that amounted to a roughly 125% increase this year. A committee reviewed vendors and narrowed candidates to Everbridge and HyperReach, selecting HyperReach on June 1 for its perceived user friendliness and comparable capabilities. Staff said the contract and database uploads are in process and the go‑live date is scheduled for Aug. 30, coinciding with AlertSense contract expiration.
The presentation emphasized that federal IPAWS/EAS emergency alerts (which use the 9‑1‑1 database and FEMA connectors) will continue to function and do not require resident sign‑up. The HyperReach system was described as providing the same core channels (text, email, voice) plus web‑browser alerts and smart‑speaker integration (Alexa). Staff walked through public sign‑up options including a website prompt, QR codes, phone/text signup at (606) 254‑1454, and enabling via smart speakers. The presenter said early public signup after the mid‑July rollout reached 7,049, up from just under 5,000 on AlertSense.
County staff asked commissioners to continue public outreach for signups and said training for internal agency use (including IPAWS) is scheduled. Commissioners said they would help promote the sign‑up links.
