DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI (1/23/15) – The City of Dearborn Heights has announced it is using the cell phone-based Ping4alerts! mobile communications platform to notify citizens of future public safety concerns. The service is available at no cost to residents.
“We are pleased to join the growing number of communities that offer this important smartphone application for the safety and protection of residents,” explained Emergency Manager & Public Information Officer Bob Ankrapp. “Ping4alerts! is an excellent resource that will help us keep residents updated on emergency situations, taking advantage of one of today’s most common communication devices — the smart phone.”
Ping4alerts! is a free cell phone application that uses location-based technology inherent in today’s smartphones to deliver notifications within a targeted area. Using their internet access, Dearborn Heights officials can select the geographic boundaries to “broadcast” their message to. The area can be as small as a city block, or as large as the entire city. All users within that area who have downloaded the Ping4alerts! application into their cell phones will then receive the alert. The message could simply contain text, or it could also include photos/maps, pre-recorded audio or mobile web links. These features, coupled with the platform’s precise accuracy, ensure information is targeted, prompt, and above all, relevant to the situation.
By simply downloading the free Ping4alerts! application on their cell phone, residents are ensuring they will receive immediate information regarding local emergencies from the city’s Emergency Management, Fire, Police and Public Works Departments. In addition, residents can also, if they choose, opt-in to receive certain non-emergency information from selected other city departments. Residents who download ping4alerts! also have the option of receiving weather advisories and alerts from NOAA’s National Weather Service, as well as the ability to view the location of nearby level 2 and level 3 sex offenders. Users can establish multiple “watch” locations – for home, work, school, an out-of-town relative’s house, etc. to receive alerts. These options are clearly explained when downloading the Ping4alerts! application.
Ping4alerts! protects user anonymity and does not require users to provide any personally identifiable information such as a phone number, street address, or email address. Mobile notifications are delivered over the Internet through GPS, cellular, and available Wi-Fi networks.
To receive future notifications, citizens simply download the ping4alerts! application by visiting the Google Play or ITunes store and downloading the free application. Nothing further needs to be done in order to receive future alerts.
About Ping4 Inc.
Ping 4 Inc., is a mobile communications company that delivers real-time, location-based alerts to any iOS or Android mobile device. Public safety agencies license the platform to keep citizens informed of extreme weather events and other fast-moving situations. User identity is 100% protected as no personally identifiable information is required when downloading the app. For more information, please visit www.ping4.com.
