Agencies offer emergency notification systems to residents

Three local agencies are using Nixle.com to notify the public of emergencies that could be dangerous to bystanders or cases such as missing people.

Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, which serves the Post Falls, Dalton Gardens, Huetter, Fernan Village and Wolf Lodge areas, Coeur d'Alene Police and Coeur d'Alene Fire are using the system which provides residents with real-time alerts.

Residents can sign up for free at Nixle.com and add as many zip codes (if they want to hear from multiple areas), cell numbers and land-line numbers as they like. Cell phone users can text their zip code to 888777 to be notified.

A message can be received either through text or email, and can also be sent out through other social media platforms.

Common emergencies such as medical calls and most traffic accidents won't be sent out. Notifications are sent sparingly, but one was recently sent due to a missing child in Coeur d'Alene resulting in an Amber alert.

KCFR and Coeur d'Alene Fire joined Coeur d'Alene Police this summer with the program. The feature did not cost the agencies anything.

Glenn Lauper, Coeur d'Alene Fire deputy chief, said his agency decided to join after a number of affected residents did not receive notification of a wildland fire earlier this year in Colorado.

"This finding is unacceptable to public safety agencies and communities need to utilize technology to ensure the emergency notifications and instructions are received by all in harm's way," Lauper said.

About 6,000 agencies are using the San Francisco-based service, which has about 1 million subscribers.

Another free notification service - Reverse 911 - is used by Post Falls Police and Kootenai County. Residents can register at www.postfallspolice.com or www.kcsheriff.com. They can be notified via voice, text or email messages.

Subscribers of both services can edit their user profile or unsubscribe online at any time.