Blog Post

ETCOG Contracts with New Vendor for Emergency Mass Notification System

Homeland Security Program • Jan 03, 2020

$85,123 Granted by Public Safety Program for East Texas Jurisdictions to Offer Citizen Emergency Alerts

person looking at cell phone
On December 11th, the ETCOG Executive Committee approved to fund a mass notification system for the East Texas region as a part of its public safety program for the tenth consecutive year. The system allows ETCOG to partner with cities and counties in East Texas to send messages quickly notifying citizens about emergency situations such as: 

  • Tornadoes and storm events
  • Drinking water contamination
  • Utility outage
  • Evacuation notice and routes
  • Missing person
  • Fires or floods
  • Bomb threat
  • Hostage or active shooter situations
  • Chemical spill or gas leak
  • Other emergency incidents where rapid and accurate notification is essential
ETCOG will begin a new contract this year with Rave Mobile Safety to provide mass notification system services. This service was previously contracted with CodeRED for the last nine years. Through the open procurement process, six competitive bids were received, and Rave was recommended to the ETCOG Executive Committee at its December meeting for offering new and improved service advantages. 

Rave Mobile Safety offers unlimited minutes/texting, and unlimited users of the system, as well as a new Weather Warning service which instantly and automatically alerts recipients based on weather in the area including type of weather, location, and severity. It also allows the user to provide over 50 different language translations when deploying a notification and use this across several social media platforms.

“We are very excited to begin our service with Rave Mobile Safety,” said ETCOG’s Public Safety Director, Stephanie Heffner. “The capacity to have unlimited minutes and unlimited users opens up the opportunity to partner with more jurisdictions in the region that may have not participated before. Also, we know many of our jurisdictions currently pay for weather warning services out of pocket, so we are happy to offer a cost saving opportunity with this new vendor.”

The Rave system has been contracted for the service area of Anderson, Camp, Cherokee Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Panola, Rains, Rusk, Smith, Upshur, Van Zandt and Wood counties. The new service agreement began Dec 13, 2019, and goes through Dec 12, 2020, for a total of $84,500 to be funded by ETCOG through a Homeland Security grant.  

All public telephone records in the region have been transferred to Rave Mobile Safety. However, cell phone users and individuals who registered online for notifications through CodeRED will need to register for the new system. In the coming weeks, existing customers will receive a notification with a link to register their information in the new Rave system to ensure they continue to receive emergency alerts. ETCOG is also coordinating with area Emergency Management Coordinators to update the opt-in information offered on their websites.  

For more information, contact ETCOG’s Director of Public Safety, Stephanie Heffner, at 903.218.6461.

Large black and white trailer used for emergency management

Regional Exercise to Test Interoperability Communications Among First Responders in East Texas

By East Texas Council of Governments • 30 Apr, 2024
Texas first responders are gearing up for a communication training that will address communications interoperability during emergencies. Coordinated by the East Texas Council of Governments and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Texas Division of Emergency Management, this workshop marks a collaborative effort to bolster emergency communication systems and emphasize the importance of seamless communications in crisis situations. Over three days, from May 17th to May 19th, participants from various sectors will engage in radio communication tests, workshops on technological advancements, and discussion on the future of emergency communications. The exercise will kick off at the Tyler Junior College West Campus before transitioning to operational platforms for real-world testing. Interested participants are encouraged to register for the event at www.preparingtexas.org and search for “Regional Communications” in the main search bar to join the collective effort to enhance public safety communication across Texas and the East Texas region.
female dispatcher looking at 911 address map

ETCOG Adds Cherokee County to 911 Addressing Program

By East Texas Council of Governments • 03 Jan, 2024
The East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) has extended its 9-1-1 addressing program to Cherokee County, enhancing emergency response capabilities for the region.
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