The City of Alameda is now using the Nixle service to provide instant alerts to the community for a variety of public safety events and for other significant community issues. For many years, the City used a similar service that only dialed land-line telephones. Nixle utilizes new technologies that provide instant outreach across multiple medium – telephone, cell phone, text message, email, Facebook, Twitter, and internet. The alerts can be sent city-wide, or only to certain neighborhoods, depending on the situation.
There are three levels of messaging that are typically used: Alert messages, Advisory messages, and Community messages. The different types of messaging are defined by the seriousness of the message and/or the immediacy required sending the message out.
Some of the most important reasons for community members, businesses, or visitors to subscribe their mobile device with Nixle include:
EMERGENCY ALERTS
- A big fire in your neighborhood
- A major traffic incident
- A Shelter-In-Place order
COMMUNITY NOTICES
- Missing person bulletin
- Temporary street closure
- Major sewer pipe rupture
To receive the City’s alerts on mobile devices and social media, people need to sign-up by simply texting their zip code (94501 or 94502) to "888-777". People can also sign up via the internet at: http://local.nixle.com/register/ where there are options for where you want alerts sent – home phone only, cell phone, or both.
Residents and businesses will continue to receive emergency alert messages via their land-line phones automatically.
“I strongly urge Alamedans to sign up for Nixle and take advantage of the technology available today,” said Police Chief Paul Rolleri. “It’s a very useful and convenient tool for communicating with the public.”
“Using Nixle allows us to get important messages out instantly,” said Fire Chief Mike D’Orazi. “This will provide community members with the important information they need, especially during emergencies.”
The messages can also be sent specifically to residents registered within a ¼ mile radius, giving them the opportunity to receive trustworthy information relevant only to their neighborhood.
The Alameda Police Department is using Nixle to send notifications to our community via text messaging and e-mail. For example, a message about crime prevention tips would typically be considered a Community message and would go out via e-mail. The following link shows an example of a Community message about child safety seat inspections:
https://local.nixle.com/alert/5181420/
These next two notifications were sent out as Advisory messages via text message and e-mail. One is about an Alameda County Sheriff's Office operation on Webster Street and the other is about a student being arrested for having a BB gun near a school campus.
https://local.nixle.com/alert/5191231/
https://local.nixle.com/alert/5185541/
This last example is an Alert message which is considered the highest level. It was sent out to residents in a 1/4 mile radius around a neighborhood where APD was conducting a yard to yard search for robbery suspects with one of our Police Service Dogs.
https://local.nixle.com/alert/5046262/
The Alameda Fire Department is using Nixle to advise the community to "avoid the area" of an active incident where many public safety personnel will be working. These types of alerts include structure fires, hazardous materials incidents, and vehicle accidents in a high-traffic area.
