On November 9, 2011 at 2 p.m. EST the FCC, Homeland Security, NOAA and FEMA launchedthe first ever national test of an Emergency Alert System (EAS). Unfortunately EAS, and its texting components, IPAWS and PLAN would have done little to help the thousands of people standing outside their buildings following the recent east coast earthquake, or after most other disasters. Evolve Mobile Communication, Inc. urges the development enhanced text messaging system to allowresidents toreach emergency services, after a disaster, when phone lines are jammed or inoperable.
November 9, 2011Laurel, MD.Following this summer’s east coast earthquake, FEMA went out over the airwaysand urged residents and employees, standing outside buildings in MD, DC and VA, to use text messaging to communicate. Why? Because when phone lines are jammed, texting is the most effective way to reachand communicate with friends, family and others. Unfortunately “others” does not include FEMA, 911, or most area relief organizations and the test of EAS will do little to alleviate this breach in communication. Even MD, DC and VA cities that sent text alerts to residents, failed when residents attempted to send text messages wanted to know what happened? What should I do? Or to find out if their child was okay at school.
Likewise, even FEMA´s, IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert Warning System) and PLAN (Personal Localized Alerting Network) systems,which broadcast text message alerts, fail to adequately address the communication issues exposed during the east coast earthquake. None of these programs provide a way for residents to reach relief organizations when phone systems are jammed or damaged.
During an Oct 25, 2011congressional hearing with FEMA, Congresswoman Kathy Hochul of NY stated “the public is not able to send 911 text messages to public dispatchers…I find it to be a nationalembarrassment.”
“We agree.” says Alvin Butler, President/CEO of Evolve Mobile Communications, Inc.“ you can text friends and family during an emergency so it makes sense that you should be able to text 911 and other government relief agencies as well.”
Evolve Mobile Communications has created the only two-way text messaging system, called Text2Them, capable of providing post disaster communications to every person with a mobile phone. Unlike current broadcast systems, used by federal, state and local agencies, as well as on college campuses, Evolve Mobile´s new patent pending two-way technology allows residents or employees to communicate with agencies to getinformation, or critical help, following a disaster. Furthermore instead of years, Text2Them could be installed in every city in the country in months, making every city truly prepared for disasters.
On Oct 13, 2011, at anothercongressional briefing, with FEMA and OPM present, Congresswoman Norton stated: “Cell phone and internet service was sporadic, if not cut off completely, for many users.” She declared, “It was a perfect proxy for a terrorist attack, because it shows that there were no mechanisms in place to help individuals handle an unexpected, and briefly frightening event.” “Washington, D.C., was not prepared for the surprise earthquake that hit the region in August — and it’s not ready for a terrorist attack either,”
Norton further stated "It is your [OPM and FEMA´s] responsibility to inform federal employees who are located here and in this region what to do next so in times of emergency they are not caught red-handed, like last time. They literally had no idea what to do." The Hill Newspaper
This inadequate system, which will not be improved by EAS, IPAWS or PLAN, not only paralyzed the federal government,but it literally shut down communication at the state, county and city levels. All along the mid-Atlantic regionphone lines were jammed and government agencies scrambled to provide information to residents as well as their employees.
Locally, the District of Columbia, where most federal employees work, suffered from similar coordination problems: “Everyone did the wrong thing,” said Councilmember Phil Mendelson, D.C., and D-At large, who conducted an October 12, 2011hearing.“We want for people to stay in place until we can provide information for them,” West said. “We also want for people to be more informed in general about what they should be doing.” Washington Post
EvolveMobile´s Text2Them system, which creates text message networks similar to voice phone networks, is the first system that doesn´t just broadcast alerts but allows residents to respond for help or to have questions answered.In addition, it is the first system capable of allowing residents to access 911 by text message, which is critical when the disaster results in jammed phone lines.
Text2Them by Evolve Mobile Communication, Inc. is available to any federal, state or local agency desiring to expand current one-way text broadcast systems with two-way Text2Them texting capability.
With Evolve Mobile´s Text2Them, emergency one-way broadcast systems can be enhanced to bea true communication system.