The free service will provide potentially life-saving information in the case of a serious threat, say officials.
A national emergency texting system is in the works.
(William Hook/Flickr)
DNAinfo - MANHATTAN — The city is set to unveil the nation’s first emergency alert system Tuesday that will send potentially life-saving messages directly to cell phones.
PLAN, the "Personal Localized Alerting Network," which Mayor Michael Bloomberg is set to unveil, will provide free location-specific text-like messages alerting users to "imminent threats to safety in their area."
The service is expected to be available in the city by the end of 2011.
"Communications technology — and in particular mobile broadband — has the potential to revolutionize emergency response," Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski said in a statement.
"Our communications networks need to be reliable and resilient in times of emergency," Genachowski said. "The FCC is working with carriers to ensure that they are." Read More
PLAN, the "Personal Localized Alerting Network," which Mayor Michael Bloomberg is set to unveil, will provide free location-specific text-like messages alerting users to "imminent threats to safety in their area."
The service is expected to be available in the city by the end of 2011.
"Communications technology — and in particular mobile broadband — has the potential to revolutionize emergency response," Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski said in a statement.
"Our communications networks need to be reliable and resilient in times of emergency," Genachowski said. "The FCC is working with carriers to ensure that they are." Read More
