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County officials agree to cover half of Everbridge fee this year while emergency management controls geofencing
Summary
Henry County emergency management asked the commission to pay $1,500 toward a $3,000 annual Everbridge subscription this year and outlined a plan to roll the system out to local schools, hospitals and townships with emergency management retaining geofence control.
Henry County’s emergency management staff asked commissioners to pay $1,500 of this year’s $3,000 Everbridge emergency-notification subscription and outlined a staged rollout of the system to local entities.
The emergency management official said Everbridge can push targeted alerts by drawing geofences around affected areas, giving the example of a road‑closure notification: “If you drive into that geofence, you’re gonna get a … notification on your phone saying that the road is closed. Please turn around, find an alternative route,” the emergency management official said. Staff described the current contract as a three‑year arrangement that ends in October and said the county has placed $3,000 in the emergency‑management budget for the coming year.
Why it matters: Everbridge allows emergency managers to send geographically targeted warnings that reach people who enter specific zones, a capability officials said the county’s existing apps do not provide. Commissioners were asked to cover the remaining $1,500 for this partial year; LEOPC (the local emergency planning committee) has agreed to cover the other half. Staff said future years’ costs would be split among participating agencies and municipalities to reduce the county’s share.
County staff described operational controls designed to limit misuse: only emergency management staff will be able to draw geofences, and each participating entity will have separate administrator accounts. The emergency management official said 10 administrators is the minimum baseline for the plan but that the system can be upgraded if more entities join.
Commissioners asked practical questions about who signs contracts, whether townships can be individual contracting parties, and how opt‑in works for the public. The emergency management official said entities must upload contact lists (names, emails, phone numbers) and that users generally must opt in to receive text or email alerts unless a message is sent as a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA). Staff offered to host training sessions for interested entities once several organizations sign up.
Next steps: Commissioners signaled general support and asked staff to proceed with individual contracts between participating entities and the county and to continue outreach to townships, schools and hospitals. The item will be revisited after October when the county’s current contract term ends.
Quote: “We can draw a geofence around the affected area … and you’re gonna get an amber‑alert‑style notification on your phone saying that the road is closed,” the emergency management official said.
Ending: The commission moved on to other agenda items after urging staff to begin outreach and training with local partners.
