Full Notification

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release: 01/21/2016 3:00 p.m.

Valdez, AK – The City of Valdez and Valdez Police Department have partnered with NIXLE to implement the Community Notification System to alert residents and visitors to localized emergency and public safety situations.

The NIXLE Community Notification System allows the City to disseminate timely information such as road closures, weather related issues, hazards to the public, incident specifics, press releases, and other public safety related information to residents and visitors in real time. Citizens can choose to receive advisories through text messaging, email, NIXLE app alerts, or a combination of all three.

NIXLE also has an anonymous tip line for citizens, allowing the Valdez Police Department to investigate, follow up and provide updates while tipsters maintain full anonymity.

The Valdez Police Department will conduct a NIXLE registration community event on January 22nd and 23rd at the Valdez Post Office. Representatives from the Police Department and City’s Public Information Office will be available at the post office on Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until noon to assist citizens with NIXLE sign-up and answer NIXLE related questions.

Citizens may also register in one of several simple ways to receive alerts:

1. Text 99686 to 888777 from your mobile phone.

2. Go to http://nixle.com/register.

3. Go to http://local.nixle.com/valdez-police-department/ and click “Sign-up”.

Citizens needing special assistance with NIXLE registration may contact the City Public Information Office at 907-834-3468 or by email [email protected].

Once registered, citizens will receive a confirmation text to their mobile device.

Alert settings may be customized at any time by going to www.nixle.com and creating a user profile. All alerts are targeted geographically, allowing residents to receive localized, relevant alerts from the City of Valdez. Users may adjust their settings so real-time alerts are sent by text message, email, the NIXLE Mobile App, or a combination of all three.

“Implementing NIXLE provides a critical service to our community and a fantastic way to get needed information out quickly. All citizens need to do to utilize the service is sign up. Registration information is kept secure and used only for alerts, so participants will not receive annoying advertisements,” said Interim Chief Bart Hinkle of the Valdez Police Department. “Users may also choose to receive alerts from other locations around the state and country. For example, if you have a family member traveling or a child away at college, you can also sign up for alerts in that area if the program is available.”

Founded in 2009, NIXLE provides a mass communications hub built exclusively for government to provide secure, reliable, and relevant information to residents in real-time. Today, over 7,200 agencies around the United States rely on NIXLE for community engagement and emergency communications. NIXLE’s exclusive partnerships with NLETS (National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System) , Google, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children allows local police departments nationwide to send immediate alerts and advisories. For more information on the NIXLE, visit www.nixle.com.

Posted January 21, 2016
Allie Ferko, Public Information Officer, City of Valdez
Officer Andrew Pritchett, Valdez Police Department