Alerts

Use the Alerts module to notify app users about current or imminent incidents, emergencies and disasters. Administrators can create an alert for a defined duration and or a specific event, and can update users as the situation changes.

Alert Examples:

• Emergency managers and employers can advise users of imminent danger (both man-made and natural)
• Employers can advise employees of building closures
• Public Works departments can advise users of local works in progress, road closures and issues impacting homes (e.g., water shutdowns or water advisories)
• Public Relations departments can advise of event changes or advisories

NOTE: You can also make sure users receive NWS- and FEMA-generated emergency alerts. Learn more in the NWS / FEMA Alerts documentation.

Creating a New Alert

1. Select ALERTS from the menu on the left.

2. Click the CREATE button in the top-right corner to create a new alert.

3. Add a title and description in the appropriate text boxes.

4. Next, set a condition for each category.

5. Slide the ACTIVATE AFFECTED REGION button to the right to define an affected region and make it visible to app users.

In the map that appears, set the area where registered users will receive the push notification by choosing one of the icons on the left-hand side of the map.

Create a Radius: Click on the PIN icon and use your mouse to select the desired area on the map. You can also manually adjust the radius in the miles box. Click SAVE when done.

In the popup window, create a name for your radius and press SAVE.

Create a Zone: Click on the ZONE icon and use your mouse to select the desired area on the map by clicking on specific points. Double-click on the last point to complete your zone selection. Click SAVE when done.

In the popup window, create a name for your zone and press SAVE.

Once the zone has been saved, it will appear in green on your map.

Add a Zip Code: Select the ZIP CODE icon and enter the desired ZIP code in the box. Select the appropriate ZIP code that appears in the drop-down below to confirm. You can add more than one ZIP code in this box. Press SAVE.

Import: Select the DOWNLOAD icon to import your GIS or KML files and press CONTINUE.

Select the appropriate files from your computer and press OPEN.

Once your area has been set, it will appear in red on your map.

6. Slide the ENABLE PUSH NOTIFICATION button to the right to notify users of this alert once it is published. Select SEND TO ALL or ZIP CODES & GEO LOCATION and provide the requested information to set your Geo-push notification area.

Geo-push notifications allow users to receive alerts when relevant articles based on their region are published within the app. The user must give the app permission to share their latest location so they can receive these notifications. (Go to the User Onboarding section to learn more about how users provide their location information.)

NOTE: A history of your location is NEVER saved. Your last location is always stored anonymously, and it is never shared with anyone – including the app administrators.

If you select SEND TO ALL, it will send a notification to all devices registered to receive push notifications from this module.

If you select ZIP CODES & GEO LOCATION, it will notify users within a defined location. Go to STEP 7 for further instructions.

7. If you select ZIP CODES & GEO LOCATION, select which registered users will receive the push notification by selecting one or both of the available options:

• Users who have subscribed to adjacent ZIP code region(s)
• Users who have opted out of location tracking and have not subscribed to any ZIP codes

NOTE: You can see the number of devices that will receive your push notification at the right of each option and above the map.

8. Choose an icon on the left-hand side to set the area in which registered users will receive the push notification.

Follow the instructions in STEP 5 to define an affected region.

9. Slide the SET ALERT EXPIRATION button to ON if you want to set a date and time for the alert to expire. Set the date and time in the appropriate boxes that appear.

NOTE: The default time zone is set to Toronto. If you’d like to change that, manually adjust your computer’s time zone in System Preferences.

And you’re done!

Your alert will appear in the app like so:

Editing, Deleting, Archiving or Ending an Alert

1. In the main Alerts menu, select the alert you want to modify and click the THREE DOTS in the top-right corner.

To EDIT an alert:

1. Select EDIT from the drop-down list.

2. Follow STEPS 3-9 above to edit and republish the alert.

To DELETE an alert:

1. Select DELETE from the drop-down list.

2. Click DELETE in the pop-up window to confirm your selection.

Note: Search for a specific alert by typing a keyword(s) in the SEARCH box in the main menu and pressing ENTER.

To ARCHIVE an alert:

1. Select ARCHIVE from the drop-down menu and click ARCHIVE in the pop-up window to confirm your selection.

Note: Archive an old/expired alert to remove it from all users’ devices and save it to the archives list.

To END an alert:

1. Select END ALERT from the drop-down menu and click END ALERT in the pop-up window to confirm your selection.

Note: You can also end an alert from within the main page. Double-click it in the Alert menu, select the THREE DOTS in the right-hand corner of the new page and choose END ALERT in the drop-down list.

Updating an Alert

1. In the main Alerts menu, double-click on the alert you would like to update.

 

2. In the new window, click POST AN UPDATE on the bottom left.

Note: To view activity logs of live updates, select ACTIVITY at the bottom of the specific alert’s main page. All activity related to the alert will be listed according to the most recent date/time.