Walker County’s new and improved method for sending emergency notifications is now up and running.
Available for both Apple and Android devices, the SirenGPS app sends push notifications to smartphones in a matter of seconds, keeping residents alerted to bad weather and other community concerns or interests.
Tied directly to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the app will relay warnings about thunderstorms, flash floods, tornadoes and severe winter weather as soon as the alert is issued by the National Weather Service.
SirenGPS immediately replaces Walker County’s Hyper-Reach notification system, which will be discontinued at the end of February.
The update is expected to limit the strain placed on the county’s telecommunication infrastructure, which is not equipped to distribute a large number of phone calls at one time, said Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Blake Hodge.