Broadcasters Lay the Foundation for Hurricane Preparedness
Share:
JACKSON, Miss., April 12 // -- As the United States braces for the start of what promises to be a forceful 2007 Atlantic hurricane season, Global Security Systems, LLC (GSS), today announced that broadcasters in the Gulf Coast region have agreed to improve broadcast and communications infrastructures for emergency alerts and messaging. Broadcaster associations in Alabama and Florida join the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters in supporting deployment of an FM-based digital alert and messaging platform with ALERT FM. GSS will showcase ALERT FM at the National Association of Broadcasters 2007 Show, to be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, April 14-19 at Booth N6734.
Following a presidential directive to improve the nation's emergency alert capability, these state associations of broadcasters are among the first to encourage the use of ALERT FM, which allows emergency managers to push lifesaving information to first responders and citizens before, during and after an emergency. ALERT FM is based on an existing FM infrastructure that incorporates Radio Data System (RDS) technology to send digital information using conventional FM radio broadcasts. Targeted alerts and messages are delivered by satellite to FM transmission towers and can be received on any device equipped with an FM chip. In the future, a wide variety of devices including cell phones, pagers and specialized receivers, will be able to receive the emergency alerts.
"Forecasters continue to warn us that we are in a very active cycle of hurricane activity in the Gulf Coast region," said Robert R. Latham, Jr., former executive director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. "Hurricane Katrina reminded us that total reliance on traditional means of public alert and messaging will result in an inadequate or nonexistent supply of critical lifesaving information for the general public and emergency personnel."
According to weather forecasters, the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season should be very active with a projected nine hurricanes and the possibility that at least one major hurricane will hit the U.S. coast. Predictions for the season include 17 named storms this year, five of them major hurricanes. Additionally, the probability of a major hurricane making landfall on the U.S. coast this year is 74 percent, compared with the average of 52 percent over the past century.
"Local broadcasters in Alabama will have the ability to play an active role in protecting their communities by using the ALERT FM system," said Sharon Tinsley, executive director of Alabama Association of Broadcasters. "We encourage them to participate and cement their commitment to supporting our first responders, businesses and citizens."
On the heels of recovering from hurricanes and tornadoes that devastated the Gulf Coast region, broadcaster support is critical to enabling state and local governments to strengthen its communications infrastructure for first responders and citizens. FM broadcasters that participate in the program will get the RDS technology at no cost to the station along with the ability to transmit an array of non-emergency information, including song titles and artists, call letters, slogans, weather, traffic or other information to listeners, while reinforcing their public service commitment.
About Global Security Systems, LLC
Global Security Systems (GSS) is a systems integrator, service provider and manufacturer of homeland security and natural disaster ALERT FM systems. The company has its headquarters in Jackson, Mississippi with offices in Louisiana, Florida and Washington, D.C. Learn more about Global Security Systems and ALERT FM at http://www.alertfm.com/.
About ALERT FM
ALERT FM is a personal alert and messaging system that enables emergency management personnel to create and send digital alert messages, including tornado warnings, homeland security notices, hurricane evacuation instructions and Amber alerts. First responders, school officials and citizens can receive these alerts based on geographic or organizational groupings through specially designed ALERT FM receivers or any device equipped with a standard FM chip, such as cell phones, USB drives, smoke detectors, home alarms, clocks or any mobile communication device before, during or after an event.
Source: Global Security Systems, LLC
Web site: http://www.alertfm.com/
