March 28, 2024

Alert IA

Emergency Management service helps keep Clarke County residents safe

“I hope someone at the newspaper will find out why Highway 152 was left in the shape it was in, as far as the ice and snow,” said a caller, Monday, Jan. 17. “It’s a wonder someone wasn’t killed.”

While Clarke County road crews go to great lengths to mark when roads are closed, travelers can slip through the cracks, especially when they’re in-transit. It’s just one reason new alert services are so important.

“Clarke County has a service called Alert IA. It is a state-funded Emergency Management program that allows me to send messages out via text, email, voice or pager to anyone whose number is listed in the phone book or anyone who voluntarily signs up,” said Interim Emergency Management Coordinator Jessica Conley, noting there are currently 3111 enrolled in the service.

Residents can visit http://entry.inspironlogistics.com/clarke_ia/wens.cfm to sign up for the service.

The Osceola Police Department sends alerts out over a similar system called Nixle, but the messages shared by Alert IA are a bit different.

“Some of those would be all weather warnings, not watches, boil orders, school closures due to weather, missing children and even road closures that may affect your route,” said Conley.

How the information is shared is different too.

“We can send to all of them at once or a certain area,” said Conley.

Recipients can be selected in a specific area by address or by a hand-drawn circle over the application.

Jessica Conley took over as the interim director when Allan Mathias retired after over 20 years of service on Dec 31, 2016. Conley has worked in this office as deputy coordinator since Feb 14, 2011.