Rapid Notify Introduces Automated Severe Weather Warning Alerts

July 12, 2011 - PRLog -- Rapid Notify, Inc. recently announced the addition of a powerful new automated severe weather warning feature to its comprehensive suite of mass notification services.

Rapid Notify Severe Weather Warnings will deliver automated and targeted alert notifications via SMS text and email. Precision-targeted alerts specific to county or state areas are generated automatically moments after being issued by the National Weather Service. As the severe weather events occur, warnings are delivered automatically any time of day. The automation removes manual intervention and reduces response time to activate emergency alerts and notify personnel.

Severe weather warnings will be sent only to those who have self-registered and opted in to receive alerts on their cell phones or smart phones. These warnings are categorized as life threatening and expected within a very short period of time, for example: Blizzard Warning, Flash Flood Warning, Tornado Warning, etc.

Through an online self-registration portal that is seamlessly integrated into Rapid Notify customer websites, visitors can sign up to receive severe weather warnings in addition to emergency and non-emergency alert notifications via landline or cellular telephone, SMS text message, or e-mail. All contact information remains private, safe, and secure.

"Rapid Notify is responding to the growing demand for local governments to be able to communicate with their staff and citizens in real time,” said Steve Sipe, president of Rapid Notify.  “By automating severe weather warnings, it frees up valuable internal resources for our customers and enables them to focus on safeguarding the health and welfare of residents and serve their community more efficiently and effectively.”

Rapid Notify’s self-registration portal helps organizations ensure that their mass communications are privacy compliant by offering opt-in and opt-out capability.  Self-registrants complete a short online form with their contact information, indicate their preferences for notification, and select a secure login enabling them to return and update contact details as often as needed. The portal quickly plots address locations on a map and presents them to the registrant to verify or reposition the pin to the exact location of the address.  Confirmed addresses are geo-coded into the Rapid Notify mapping system, which enables organizations to target emergency and mass communications to individuals in specific physical locations.

“The more communication tools we are able to provide customers the better they will be able to prepare and respond in emergency situations,” added Sipe. “Our new severe weather warning feature is part of our continuing effort to provide efficient public safety communications and a more connected environment for all types of organizations.”

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Rapid Notify, Inc. has been providing Mass Notification Services for emergency and non-emergency communications to clients across North America for more than 25 years. Rapid Notify provides a comprehensive suite of mass notification and management services ideal for government agencies, municipalities, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, first-responders and businesses. The easy-to-use, web-based emergency notification system enables effective, real-time, two-way communication via telephone, email and SMS text messaging. Rapid Notify offers reliable and cost-effective communication solutions to help people connect during a crisis, manage operational incidents and other communication activities. More information is available at http://www.rapidnotify.com or 800-519-2129.