In our last article, we talked about the growing trend for local governments and emergency response teams to communicate with their citizens through social media tools. Using these new mediums of communication coincides with the public’s increasing expectations to be reached through channels such as text messages and social networking websites. The Red Cross’ findings affirmed need for the Amatra SmartSource™ platform, an all-in-one tool that puts important information in the hands of those who need it, exactly when they need it.

Traditionally, the process of mass notification in the event of emergency situations has consisted of broadcasting messages over television and radio, hoping that a large enough audience will be reached to effectively manage the crisis. With our SmartSource platform, however, mass notification isn’t left up to chance. Whether it’s reaching volunteer fire fighters through text messages, an entire neighborhood through immediate phone calls, or even a school of students through Facebook and Twitter, SmartSource reaches each individual in the fastest, most effective way.

In moments of crisis, it is essential that the planning stage of mass notification is already taken care of. Amatra SmartSource™ implements a plethora of innovative tools to make this planning process safe, secure, and thorough. First, the platform lets emergency management officials create pre-defined notification groups such as law enforcement or local school administration so they aren’t left scrambling to discern who needs information when an emergency arises. Second, pre-defined message templates make certain that complete messages are ready for distribution in an instant. Lastly, geographically-targeted notifications eliminate time wasted checking if an entire area has been reached through traditional communications by contacting its inhabitants through multiple channels.

Local governments are starting to understand what businesses have known for years: catering your message to the communication preferences of your audience dramatically alters the way it is received. As the number of communication channels increases, the all-in-one solution found with Amatra SmartSource™ has the power to transform these local governments into safe, secure environments through safe, secure communication.