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Brookings County Pursuing Smartphone-capable Alert System

Associated Press0

BROOKINGS, S.D. (AP) — Brookings County will soon have a new emergency alert system capable of sending messages to smartphones and other cellphones.

The system the county is pursuing would send the messages to phones physically located in the identified alert area.

The Brookings Register reports that thanks to state approval, the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System can be used to deliver free messages warning of hazardous materials, calls for immediate evacuations or orders to remain sheltered.

But for a yearly fee of about $1,750, the county can add warnings for impending weather and other local emergencies.

Carli Leidholt with the state’s Office of Emergency Management says the system is particularly useful when sending messages to transient visitors and could be “an easy way” to send alerts to South Dakota State University students.

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Information from: Brookings Register,

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