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BransonALERTS Allows For Timely Warnings in Cases of Emergency

KOMUnews
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Flickr

When a severe weather warning is issued in Taney County, the Emergency Management System is quick to put out the alert.

Ted Martin, EMS director and Branson fire chief, said that was the case early this morning, after the National Weather Service in Springfield issued a tornado warning for Taney and Stone counties shortly after midnight.

“That warning automatically trips our Branson alert system. We don’t have to do anything to make that happen. It goes off automatically when the warning drops,” says Martin.

That emergency notification system, which the city calls BransonALERTS, allows for issuing warnings in cases of emergency, or even non-emergency, to as many as 50,000 people per hour. This emergency warning system is powered by Everbridge.

According to city’s website, only residents and businesses in Branson can sign up for these weather alerts. Those registered can determine how they want to receive alerts.

“They can choose and select if they want watches or warnings. It’s really powerful, any kind of weather watch or warning the National Weather Service puts out. And they can have it go to any system they want. It can go to a text message, a cell phone number, a landline number, an email.”

Along with alerting residents by means of electronic communication, the city also sounds tornado sirens when warranted, according to Martin.

As for last night’s storm, Martin said damage in the Branson area was limited to downed tree limbs and about a half-dozen trees uprooted. Power outages were reported, but all power was back up before noon today, according to Martin.