Round Lake Park Launches Blackboard Connect to Improve Emergency Preparedness and Communication

Dec. 1, 2009 - PRLog -- The Village of Round Lake Park announced today it has launched the Blackboard Connect mass notification platform, enhancing village-wide communication and emergency preparedness. The first community-wide test call is schedule for December 1, 2009.

Round Lake Park has implemented the Blackboard Connect platform so that village officials can directly notify, update and provide direction to the community in an efficient, timely manner, should a need arise. With Blackboard Connect, officials can record, send and track personalized voice messages to thousands of residents, businesses, and local agencies in just minutes, through a single phone call. The village can also send text messages to cell phones, PDAs, e-mail accounts, and TTY/TDD receiving devices for the hearing impaired.

“Blackboard Connect will play a crucial role in our emergency preparedness and response plans and will help to ensure that our community remains informed, updated and most importantly, safe,” said Jean McCue, Mayor of Round Lake Park.

Village administrators can target each message to an unlimited number of groups – everything from mobilizing emergency response teams to coordinating efforts with necessary agencies or volunteers. Authorized users can also use a map on the Blackboard Connect system to contact specific geographical locations, sending messages only to the residents within select neighborhoods when needed.  

“With Blackboard Connect, we can quickly alert the entire community, or just affected neighborhoods, in urgent situations, such as a missing person, flood or any other event that could potentially compromise safety,” McCue said. “All residents are encouraged to visit the Blackboard Connect portal on the village Web site and sign up to receive important village notifications.”

Publicly available primary residential and business phones in Round Lake Park will automatically be included in the system. However, residents can opt-in to provide their complete information (up to three phone numbers and two e-mail addresses) and indicate if they have a TTY/TDD device by visiting the Round Lake Park Web site (www.roundlakepark.us) and clicking on the link that says “SIGN UP NOW – SERVICES BY BLACKBOARD CONNECT,” to enter their information into the secure database. Those without Internet access can have their information added into the system by calling (847) 546-7275 or faxing their information to (847) 546-7291. Residents with call blocking services can make sure to receive the village’s time-sensitive calls by adding (847) 546-2790 to their approved number list.  

“The best way to keep residents informed and, therefore, safe is through communication, and the Blackboard Connect platform makes it easy,” said Karl Engkvist, Executive Vice President of Blackboard Connect. “With the Blackboard Connect platform, administrators have a powerful tool for mass communication without having to purchase new computers, software and telephone lines.”

For more information on the Blackboard Connect platform please visit http://www.blackboard.com/Alert-Notification/Connect-Plat... or contact the company at (818) 808-1789.


Additional Information about the Blackboard Connect Platform
The Blackboard Connect platform allows officials to send thousands of messages in minutes, requires no additional hardware, and can be used from any computer with Internet access or telephone. This ensures that administrators can send vital messages from wherever they are located—even if they are evacuated. Additionally, officials receive detailed reports on contacts that did not receive a message, enabling them to follow up through alternative means as needed.
 
*Blackboard Connect Inc. does not sell, lease, share, or rent personally identifiable information (names, addresses, phone numbers, etc.) to any companies or persons outside of Blackboard or its service providers.