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County unveils Genesis Protect evacuation-mapping tool at Springdale council meeting
Summary
Washington County emergency staff demonstrated 'Genesis Protect', a mapping and alerting tool that integrates with 911 registries and Everbridge to send zone-based evacuation directions to residents and visitors and to designate shelters and routes.
Springdale — Washington County emergency-management staff demonstrated the Genesis Protect program at the Springdale Town Council meeting on June 10, saying the tool can route evacuees, notify visitors, and provide shelter and route information during fires or other emergencies.
Bridget Bhutinsky, representing Washington County, said the system links to 911 registries and uses parcel-based zones to send targeted alerts by phone or email and to give turn-by-turn evacuation directions. "We can send information to not just local residents, but also visitors and tell them, 'don't go through the park, go this way,'" she said.
The county rolled Genesis Protect out in April under a five-county cooperative and will continue community engagement, surveys, and site visits. The tool can be accessed at protect.genesis.com and via mobile apps; the county will still use Everbridge and reverse-911 for broader alerts so people who do not download the app receive messages based on geographic location.
Councilmembers asked about who authorizes an evacuation; staff said evacuations are coordinated with the sheriff and fire chief but that county staff can set alert levels (ready/set/go) and activate shelter/assembly messaging. The county confirmed zone subscriptions can include multiple addresses (work, home, school) and that the system can incorporate traffic-flow logic to reduce bottlenecks during an evacuation.
The demonstration emphasized the tool's focus on both residents and visitors in Springdale's high-tourism environment and encouraged residents to download the app and register addresses for their zones.
