Media Center

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Press Releases

Florida FIRST tests with ReadyAlert Services.
July 2007

On July 12, 2007, Florida FIRST and the Department of the Treasury held the Tampa Bay Region Resilience Exercise at the Hillsborough County Emergency Operations Center. This exercise was designed to simulate a terrorist attack on the Financial Centers of three large cities and Tampa was one of the cities.

During the exercise, communications to the Florida based financial institutions was a critical component of the recovery process. ReadyAlert Services was used during this exercise to communicate important information to the disbursed contacts through text messaging. The reason for text messaging was due to the normal telecommunication services was compromised.

The communications were successful and the reason Florida FIRST selected ReadyAlert Services as their Emergency Notification partner was demonstrated once again in this exercise. When Florida FIRST needed to get a communication to specific contacts, receive confirmation of reading the message back from the receiver in a real-time situation, they depended on ReadyAlert Services.

Tampa Bay area Visitor and Convention Bureau selects ReadyAlert Services.
June 2007

When Tampa Bay Visitor Bureau needed to automate their calling tree as part of their Business Resiliency Plan, they reviewed many companies and selected ReadyAlert Services. Their decision was based upon ReadyAlert Services flexibility, ease of use, Web-based hosted solution, and the short implementation time needed.

They are operational now and will continue to use ReadyAlert Services for their staff crisis notifications as well as expand the services to include their Visitor and Convention partners.

US Coast Guard Exercise powered by ReadyAlert Services.
June 2007

When the US Coast Guard in Miami, FL wanted an Emergency Notification system, they chose ReadyAlert Services over a year ago. The original purpose was to be able to notify US Coast Guard personnel during and after a Hurricane event. During the course of a year, the US Coast Guard decided to expand the role of the service because of it’s proven dependability and ease of use.

The US Coast Guard automated their various Agency and emergency contacts calling tree with ReadyAlert Services and then tested it in an exercise that sent 125 communication messages to 228 individuals each day during the two day exercise. The communication was sent to every text messaging device the individual had registered in their ReadyAlert account. The only complaints were that all of the alerts were received during the two days and they were not used to receiving all of the communications in the past exercises.

Navy-MARS, Florida
June 2007

Navy-MARS is the US Navy members of the Military Affliated Radio System. Members are active HAM radio operators deployed during disaster events. The members establish communication stations while working with State Emergency Management teams.

Navy-MARS, Florida introduced ReadyAlert Services to the national Navy-MARS team members in their meeting in Tallahassee, Florida, during their Regional meeting. The Florida region has been using ReadyAlert Services for Rapid Notification for the last three years in emergency situations. Based upon their complete confidence in the service and past experience, they wanted to share their operational tool with their peers.

ReadyAlert Awarded Top Technology and Innovation Award
November 2006

ReadyAlert was selected for the Gulf Coast Business Reviews Top Technology and Innovation award for the use of text-messaging during emergencies. For more information on this award please see articles below.

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Florida Fire Chief Executives all on ReadyAlert.
September 2006

380 Florida Fire Chiefs have been added to the ReadyAlert system. Completion of this major task allows the Florida Fire Chiefs Association (FFCA) to communicate to all Florida Fire Chiefs in an instant. ReadyAlert allows different agencies to communicate to each other with no additional cost. Police, Port Authorities, Fire Departments, EOCs can easily use their ReadyAlert ID across agencies. By adding all the Fire Chief’s to ReadyAlert it will greatly improve the statewide communications.

Florida Fire Chiefs Association endorses ReadyAlert™.
September 2006

Florida Fire Chiefs Association (FFCA) has endorsed ReadyAlert to all their membership. FFCA has been using ReadyAlert for almost three years. After reviewing all the competition at the 2004 Hurricane conference held in Tampa, Florida, Larry Scovotto, EVP of the FFCA selected ReadyAlert™. Larry told ReadyAlert EVP Bob Austin, “It is the easiest system I have ever used”.

ReadyAlert expands Peak10 agreement for Server Protection.
September, 2006

ReadyAlert selected Peak10 for its Data Center provider in 2005. Because of the excellent support and world class facilities ReadyAlert has expanded their needs to other Peak10 sites. Early this year ReadyAlert established a site in Louisville, Kentucky. “The site in Louisville provides an additional layer of protection for our customers” said CEO, Happy Rideout. “Our Tampa, Florida and Charlotte, North Carolina sites are hurricane safe but we felt with the increased activity of the 2005 hurricane season we needed an inland site to exceed our customer expectations”. “Peak10’s Louisville site was an excellent solution”.

ReadyAlert has a multiyear contract with Peak10. Peak 10 operates enterprise-class data centers throughout the Southeast that provide the physical security and power redundancy to maximize uptime for our primary platform. Peak 10's network backbone consists of a multi-layer, redundant configuration to ensure that there is no single point of failure. Each data center has a minimum of two fiber rings with dual entry points and access to five Tier 1 Internet Service Providers. Peak 10 will monitor and manage our platform and will back up our data and store it offsite. All of this is designed to cost effectively reduce our exposure to disaster.

Pinellas County Emergency Management implements ReadyAlert to the entire county.
June 2006

Pinellas County Emergency Management has been using ReadyAlert for just under a year. In April 2006 PEOC contracted with ReadyAlert to provide alert services to the entire Pinellas County citizens using the Community Notification Service (CNS). The CNS product allows any cell phone to be registered instantly by calling a toll-free number. This allows PEOC to alert their citizens wherever they may be at work; on the road; or at home. Then to further alert citizens that have evacuated to different locations, it is safe to return.

While registering the caller enters their zip code allowing the PEOC to manage evacuations and returns. The selection of ReadyAlert was dependent on the ability to communicate across agencies within the county. This includes linking all hospitals in Pinellas County with the EOC, Pinellas schools, and the Pinellas County Sheriff's. This was completed June 2006.

PCSO (Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office).
April 2006

PCSO has been using ReadyAlert for more than three years. In April 2006 the PCSO extended their contract for two years. CEO, Happy Rideout said, ”We have worked hard to exceed the high standards for the Pinellas County Sheriffs Department. This two year contract is their trust in our ability to provide a reliable cost effective solution to the first responders in our community”

FL-3 DMAT (Florida-3 Disaster Medical Assistance Team).
March, 2006

As you know 2005 was quite an active year for hurricanes in the State of Florida and along the gulf coast. The team members of Florida 3 Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) actively participated in emergency patient care and support during all the major hurricanes which devastated much of the Florida coastline as well as New Orleans, Mississippi and the Texas Coast. The damage to infrastructure was widespread, many were injured, and unfortunately many lives were lost due to the intensity and aftermath of these storms.

The Katrina event has left many organizations guessing about their responsibilities during response and participation after these events. We never once, had to worry about ReadyAlert’s ability to perform as promised. We are proud to say that we were again able to muster our medical support team and respond within a 3 hour turnaround during all events. This was due, for the most part, to the reliable and rapid call-down of our team that was made possible by the ReadyAlert System.

I can honestly say that because of our ability to quickly respond, lives were saved. Your system performs flawlessly, again and again! This year will more that likely be another active storm season for us and it is good to know that your ReadyAlert System never sleeps and is ready to respond 24/7. ReadyAlert is as much a part of our continued success as the manpower and equipment that we take with us.

Canaveral Fire Rescue.
May 5, 2005

Canaveral Fire Rescue signs up with ReadyAlert™, Thursday May 5th, 2005.
Cape Canaveral Fire Rescue was recently the first fire department nationwide to implement the ReadyAlert™ Emergency Notification System for contacting personnel. ReadyAlert™ was selected for many reasons including the speed of messages, the low cost per person, and redundant contact data storage. ReadyAlert™ is accessed from the internet, sends messages to cell phones, text pagers, desk email and allows Brevard County Fire Communications to update Canaveral Fire Rescue personnel on incidents in progress. The system has been used successfully since going into service on 5/9/05.

On 5/25/05, Canaveral Fire Rescue Chief Dave Sargeant ordered a recall of all personnel for a large working house fire. The ReadyAlert™ messages notified off-duty and volunteer personnel who were unaware of the incident and/or beyond the range of VHF radio voice pagers.

ReadyAlert Selects Peak10 for Server Protection.
February 14, 2005

ReadyAlert has selected Peak10 for it's Data Center provider. Peak 10 operates enterprise-class data centers throughout the Southeast that provide the physical security and power redundancy to maximize uptime for our primary platform. Peak 10's network backbone consists of a multi-layer, redundant configuration to ensure that there is no single point of failure. Each data center has a minimum of two fiber rings with dual entry points and access to five Tier 1 Internet Service Providers. Peak 10 will monitor and manage our platform and will back up our data and store it offsite. All of this is designed to cost effectively reduce our exposure to disaster.

PCSO (Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office).
October 12, 2004

ReadyAlert™ completes training for the PCSO, Tuesday October 12th, 2004.
ReadyAlert™ CEO Happy Rideout said, ”As you can imagine, this account is what we are all about - providing a reliable cost effective solution to the first responders in our community. ReadyAlert™ trained two groups of PCSO supervisors and group leaders in two sessions. Lt. Robert Lyttle, the officer in charge of the Communication Center, thanked ReadyAlert™ for their help and said” It' s definitely an improvement for us in the Communication Center. “

Florida Fire Chiefs Association uses ReadyAlert™.
September 15, 2004

Florida Fire Chiefs Association (FFCA) has signed up their executive board on ReadyAlert™. After reviewing all the competition at the 2004 Hurricane conference held in Tampa, Florida, Larry Scovotto, EVP of the FFCA selected ReadyAlert™.
Within two weeks the FFCA Executive Board was registered and using ReadyAlert™. Larry told ReadyAlert™ EVP Bob Austin, “It is the easiest system I have ever used”.

Florida Hurricanes August and September 2004.
August-September 2004

All of Florida has been ravaged by 4 major hurricanes in August and September of 2004. ReadyAlert™ customers used the text messaging alert notification system over and over again. Customers used ReadyAlert™ more than 50 times when land lines did not work and cell phones were busy. ReadyAlert™ customers were sending and receiving text messages before, during and after the hurricanes with 100% reliability. One parent of a private school was in India on business and received his ReadyAlert™ saying school is closings. One customer had complete power failure in their building, they simply located an Internet connection and continued to send alert messages to their members. ReadyAlert™ can be used from any Internet connection anywhere in the world using the most reliable communication technology on the planet.

Pinellas Communications Emergency Response Team (PCERT) selects ReadyAlert™.
May 5, 2004

After an evaluation / selection process the Pinellas Communications Emergency Response Team selected ReadyAlert™ as their emergency notification system. The PCERT team is a highly motivated association of emergency communicators residing in Pinellas County, that have the expertise to provide multiple frequency modes and communications efforts to benefit others asking for our assistance, in a time of need.