Americus/Sumter County selects emergency notification provider Hyper-Reach chosen to help protect lives and property
AMERICUS, Ga. – Telephone-based and digital mass notification systems are trusted by thousands of public safety agencies nationwide to warn citizens about local emergencies, hazards, and other threats. Today, Americus/Sumter County, Georgia announced that they have selected Hyper-Reach to bring this life- saving capability to their community. Hyper-Reach is a next-generation mass emergency notification system built specifically for public safety. The county expects to have the service fully operational by the end of December.
The new emergency alert system will deliver rapid notifications during hazardous and urgent situations through a combination of phone calls, text and email messages, and TTY/TDD service for the hearing impaired. It can reach thousands of targeted households in seconds and simultaneously extend alerts via social media, Alexa-enabled smart speakers, browser notifications, and FEMA’s Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system for most mobile phones manufactured since 2011.
“Our mission is to protect the people of Americus/Sumter County, as effectively and efficiently as possible,” said Jerry Harmon, Director of Emergency Preparedness for Americus/Sumter County. “After reviewing all major emergency notification providers, Hyper-Reach stood out as the best combination of capability, flexibility, and value. We’re excited to bring this powerful tool to our community.”
The County plans to use the service primarily for alerts about weather and environmental hazards, criminal activity, and missing persons. Landline phones are automatically enrolled for Community alerts, but Weather alerts to landline phones and Community and Weather alerts to VoIP phones, mobile phones, and email addresses are only included when people enroll.
Residents and people who work in Americus/Sumter County, Georgia are encouraged to enroll now (using a city/county address) either by:
- Calling or texting “Alert” to 229-514-9144 or
- Going to the website: http://hyper-reach.com/gasumtersignup.html
Residents can get emergency alerts via their Alexa-enabled smart speakers just by saying “Alexa, enable Hyper-Reach” and following the Alexa-provided instructions. With more than 70 million US households using Alexa devices, there are hundreds or thousands of County residents with Alexa units.
Residents can also download the Hyper-Reach Anywhere app on their smartphones. Hyper-Reach Anywhere is a free smartphone app that allows individual residents to manage and monitor the alerts they receive, both for their home, office, and other addresses they care about, such as those of elderly relatives or friends.
“We’re honored to partner with Americus/Sumter County, Georgia to provide critical emergency alerts,” said Barbra Yager, Sales and Marketing manager at Hyper-Reach. “Helping communities save lives and protect property is at the core of what we do, and we take that responsibility very seriously.”
About Americus/Sumter County EMA
The Americus/Sumter County, Emergency Management Agency has a mission to protect the citizens of Americus/Sumter County, Georgia. Under the direction of EMA Director Jerry Harmon, the county/city provides law enforcement, emergency planning, 911, EMS, and other vital services.
About Hyper-Reach
Hyper-Reach(https://www.hyper-reach.com) is a proven mass notification system with more than 20 years of experience in emergency messaging. Hyper-Reach delivers alerts via telephone, SMS text, email, smart speakers, and social media platforms including Facebook, X, and Nextdoor. Beyond emergency alerts, Hyper-Reach is also used for Amber Alerts, toxic chemical warnings, and active shooter notifications. Customers include 911 centers, law enforcement agencies, schools, and businesses across the country.
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