The City of Los Angeles’ NotifyLA emergency alert system will be upgraded by Pasadena-based technology firm Everbridge Inc. thanks to a new agreement finalized Sept. 23.
Everbridge is headquartered in Burlington, Mass., but manages its West Coast operations from its Pasadena outpost. The firm specializes in emergency management technology including public warning systems, mass notifications and mobile apps designed to help first responders communicate with disaster victims.
NotifyLA is a subscriber-based emergency alert system that notifies residents about an emergency or city services by cellphone, social media or online. It is similar to the city’s ShakeAlertLA earthquake warning app.
“When critical information and public service announcements are required, we need to reach our residents as quickly and reliably as possible,” Kate Hutton, public information officer for L.A.’s Emergency Management Department, wrote in a statement.
“The NotifyLA system, now powered by Everbridge, allows the city to disseminate this information across all types of devices, ensuring that residents have access to real-time public information when they need it the most,” Hutton added.
The NotifyLA system has traditionally been underused, according to a 2018 L.A. Times report which noted less than 5% of city residents use the program.
Everbridge will expand NotifyLA’s reach, beginning with wireless emergency alert capability, which allows it to buzz and message every mobile phone within city cell tower range without the owner being a subscriber. The company will also implement a feature called “incident zones,” which sends alerts to subscribers if they enter an area where a disaster is underway based on their mobile GPS.
Everbridge Chief Executive David Meredith said in a statement his company is “excited to partner with the City of Los Angeles to help optimize their NotifyLA program to ensure their continued preparedness to keep residents and visitors safe and informed.”
Tech reporter Samson Amore can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 556-8335. Follow him on Twitter @samsonamore.
