Disaster Planning

Using federal homeland security funding, a central Connecticut town reportedly has selected a mass notifications system from a Glendale, California-based provider.

 

Public officials from Durham, a town of about 7,000 residents that’s located halfway between New York City and Boston, say they money left over from their Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security budget to help buy the system from 3n Global.

 

According to Durham First Selectman Laura Francis, Connecticut has allowed many towns in the state to use federal funds to purchase emergency notification systems.

 

Francis Willett, the emergency management director for the town of Durham, told TMCnet during an interview that about $10,000 came from the federal government, with about $3,000 from the town.

 

“We felt it was extremely important to invest in the most effective mass notification solution available and provide our residents with more reliable communications in an emergency,” Francis said. “The 3n solution is customizable and flexible, and 3n’s sales and implementation teams worked hand-in-hand with (Willett) throughout the process.”

 

Specifically, the so-called “InstaCom Citizen Alert” solution will enable Willett and others to contact all or selected groups of residents with life-saving information quickly and efficiently through multiple forms of communication, according to 3n. In addition, the 3n system will be used for town and emergency responder staff notifications. The town of Durham, as part of this agreement, has the ability to include the neighboring town of Middlefield and the six schools within its regional school district.

 

According to Scott Wright, chief of EMS and emergency communications coordinator for the town, Durham constantly upgrades its emergency communications infrastructure to prepare for future emergencies, “and 3n gives us the confidence to know we can instantly send important information to all of our residents when they need it most.”

 

Durham officials said they chose the 3n system over others because it offers flexibility, ease-of-use, reporting capabilities, Web-based functionality, advanced back-end infrastructure and the ability to message to multiple devices.

 

According to Cinta Putra, chief executive officer at 3n, the company wants to help state and local governments effectively communicate life-saving information to its citizens.

 

“Having the town of Durham as a client is thrilling as it allows us to have another partner in the fight to ensure all organizations are effectively communicating to save lives and deliver a safer, more connected environment for all communities,” Putra said.