Text message alerts
Service details
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Northlanders can now be warned of impending flood, tsunami or other civil defence emergencies via text message.
The region’s Civil Defence Emergency Management Group (CDEM) has joined forces with Auckland-based communication company OPTN Ltd to offer the service, which will provide mobile phone owners with free live text updates in a pending, or actual, emergency.
Murray Derecourt, Managing Director of OPTN, says the service is based on a successful existing model used by companies to send regular text updates about their products and services.
The warning system is already running in other parts of the country, including offering a lahar alert for Ruapehu District Council.
Peter Jensen, Chairman of the Northland CDEM Group, says the service will enhance the ability of those responding to emergencies to ensure the public has immediate access to information.
“Getting real time information to people during a civil defence emergency is critical. This service, along with more traditional mediums such as radio, will be fundamental to helping us do this.”
Texts will be managed and updated as necessary by local emergency management staff in the event of things like major flooding or tsunami or when a Civil Defence emergency is likely to be declared.
“Our aim is to provide subscribers with relevant ‘heads up’ information to ensure they can both prepare for - and if necessary respond to – a significant emergency situation,” Mr Jensen says.
How to register
Would-be users can register from their cellphone for a single 50-cent fee by texting OPTNNCD to 2678. Any messages users receive via the service are then free (the Northland CDEM Group will foot the 17c charge for each text) until a user decides to unsubscribe, in which case there is another, one-off 50c charge.
Alternatively, people can register for free by completing a permission form available from all Regional/District Council offices in Northland or, when deregistering, by calling 0800 OPTN4ME (0800 678 6463).
A permission form can be downloaded below.
Permission Form
Northlanders can subscribe for free by filling out the form below and faxing it to the Northland Regional Council on 09 438 0012.
Northland Civil Defence Text Alert Sign-up Form (84 KB)
Further information
About OPTN
Established in March 2005, OPTN Limited is a subsidiary of Rocom Wireless. Rocom Wireless is a mobile solutions company, providing SMS/MMS gateway services and solutions, billing solutions for Telecommunications and mobile computing solutions. For more information visit www.optn.co.nz or www.rocom.co.nz