WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, Hawaii (July 12, 2013) -- U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii has added a new technology to its family of emergency message and dissemination techniques: Nixle.
Nixle is a free service that Soldiers, families and Department of the Army civilians can join to have emergency information sent via text message or email, or viewed online at http://local.nixle.com/us-army-garrison-hawaii-emergency-response.
"We are leveraging technology to improve and enhance our response and communication timeliness so the USAG-HI community is well informed," said Col. Daniel Whitney, commander, USAG-HI. "Maintaining and enhancing safety and security is one of our most important strategic goals."
Current techniques to alert the Army family of important and timely information comprise USAG-HI's Facebook and Twitter accounts, which link with other social media pages to spread and share messages; with community bulletins; Big Voice speakers; Directorate of Emergency Services megaphones and physical measures; and Island Palm Communities' resources, like CallMax and email lists.
Nixle alerts will overlap with these resources to ensure emergency and safety messages are saturating and filtering through the impacted audience, which is anyone who lives or works on any Army installations on Oahu.
Alerts for on-post personnel may include man-made or natural threats, disasters and hazards, and traffic accidents causing gate or road closures, among others. Messages will include actions to take, like shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area or contact the Military Police with or for more information.
Other agencies Nixle user audiences can opt to receive are emergency messages that include Hawaii's departments of Emergency Management and Public Safety, and Honolulu Police and Fire departments, among others.
Google has a partnership with Nixle, so if a user is typing in a keyword in a Google search or map, and if USAG-HI or other agencies have issued an alert in that area, then the alerts will be visible on top of the normal search results.
Standard message and data rates apply for texts and accessing emails if using a cell phone or web-enabled device, according to personal service providers and plans.
Want to sign up? It's easy!
•Visit www.garrison.hawaii.army.mil, fill out the form in the lower left column and click submit.
•Visit www.nixle.com.
•Text 96857 to 888777.
Make sure "U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii Emergency Response" is included in the list of alerts you would like to receive.
Already a Nixle subscriber? Log in to adjust your "Settings" to add "U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii Emergency Response" alerts.
Live in a different zip code? Log in to add additional "Locations," such as work and home. "U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii Emergency Response" alerts are based in the 96857 zip code.
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