MCDONOUGH COUNTY, Ill. (NEWS3) — Officials in McDonough County are trying to make it easier for residents to receive important information at their fingertips.
McDonough County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency will launch a county-wide emergency alert system to send out instant notifications later this year.
The system is called Everbridge. It will release messages to cell phones, emails and social media to residents who opt in to receive alerts. In addition to weather information, it will include local road closures, missing persons reports, boil orders, community announcements and more.
Besides receiving updates from county leaders, the app will allow town and village officials to send direct messages. Each city and township in McDonough County must allocate money to the system in order to send out information. Officials said the City of Macomb and the City of Bushnell have set aside funding for Everbridge, and some townships are jumping on board.
Residents are asked to join the free system now. Text your zip code to 888777.
Officials hope to have the system up and running in December.
Everbridge is paid for with local revenues and a grant from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.
