NASSAU COUNTY, N.Y., Oct. 25, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Security Systems (“GSS”) announced today that they have been awarded a contract from Nassau County, N.Y. to provide a state-of-the-art emergency notification system. The ALERT FM system provides multiple contact paths for message dissemination to residents including FM Radio Data System (“RDS”), ALERT FM smartphone app, and FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warnings System (“IPAWS”).
“Following Hurricane Sandy, large swaths of power outages prompted us to research and evaluate multiple emergency notification systems, it was determined that ALERT FM met and exceeded the required features that the County had deemed essential to our operation,” said Nassau County Commissioner Craig Craft. “ALERT FM has the capability to continue to operate in the event of a power outage or cellular system failure.”
ALERT FM is unique when compared to other notification systems because of its ability to utilize the RDS (data subcarrier) of local FM radio stations to relay emergency messages to residents. The use of this pre-existing network of FM towers provides overlapping and redundant signal coverage for the county. Residents will have the ability to receive this information on ALERT FM receivers and other devices equipped with FM chips.
The ALERT FM smartphone app is available for free download on all iOS and Android devices. Residents will be able to receive information directly from Nassau County and local weather information right on their smartphone.
FEMA’s IPAWS will allow Nassau County access to the federal system and relay information to residents through varies contact paths including:
- Emergency Alert System (“EAS”): information distributed across radio and television stations
- Non-Weather Emergency Messages (“NWEM”): information distributed to weather radios via NOAA radio towers
- Wireless Emergency Alerts (“WEA”): information distributed to WEA compatible smartphones via cellular networks
“We are excited to expand ALERT FM into the State of New York and look forward to working with Nassau County to implement this system and provide the tools needed to keep residents informed during critical situations,” said Robert Adams, CEO of GSS.
About Global Security Systems, LLC (“GSS”)
Global Security Systems is a systems integrator, service provider and manufacturer of the ALERT FM, Alert Studio and GSSNet, a satellite data delivery system. GSS has participated in the development of IPAWS based systems, is a member of the Commercial Mobile Alert Service systems committee, is actively involved with several EAS and CAP committees, and is actively working with the FCC to advocate for the activation of FM chips in cellular phones. We have recently partnered with NextRadio to supply FM RDS messages to cellular users through the NextRadio app. The GSS nationwide GSSNet satellite data delivery system for emergency alerts currently is in operation on over 400 radio stations in 17 states and Canada; is growing daily; and includes the ability to generate and deliver CAP messages. Corporate website: www.alertfm.com