Oktibbeha County has received more than 400 ALERT FM receivers to give to local schools, government institutions and hospitals. These devices receive emergency alerts during times of crisis through FM radio frequencies. The ALERT technology is provided by Jackson-based Global Securities Systems.
Oktibbeha County emergency management director Jim Britt said the system will help expand the county’s emergency coverage area.
“Because ALERT FM utilizes radio technology, our county’s emergency messaging system will have broader coverage than our old system,” Britt said. “It’s going to be a great benefit to the citizens of Oktibbeha County.”
Britt said radios and pagers, two types of ALERT FM receivers, have already started being placed around the county in addition to earlier models of the system that have been around for years.
“We have been testing the ALERT program for over two years now,” Britt said. “The Global Securities Systems group has added various bells and whistles to the program in order to make it more user friendly.”
Public relations manager for GodwinGroup and representative for GSS Meredith Johnson said such receivers are ideal for college students.
GodwinGroup is a public relations firm that consults GSS.
“These receivers allow for students to put in the zip code or county of where they will be residing, so they can receive information for that specific location,” Johnson said. “When students travel or head home for the summer, they can then change that information quickly and easily.”
GSS general manager Jim Lowery said registered users in Starkville should have no problem receiving messages sent from their mobile devices.
“ALERT FM interfaces with an SMS gateway which in turn interfaces with all the major cellular carriers including AT&T and Cellular South,” he said.
Lowery said users can have emergency information sent to their MP3 players or iPods.
“The ALERT FM technology is capable of being embedded in all types of consumer devices [with FM capabilities] in addition to the dedicated receivers,” he said.
Once an alert is approved by the National Weather Service or local emergency management agency it is sent out through the data subcarrier of FM radio stations.
Because the system is FM-based, it can be sent to over 50,000 people in Oktibbeha County.
ALERT FM receivers are available at alertfm.com and at Starkville Computers on Hwy. 12 W.
The devices operate on AA batteries, and various models are available.
Radios containing the ALERT FM technology can also be purchased for about $50. MSU students and Starkville residents can register for mobile and e-mail alerts at alertfm.org/ms/oktibbeha.