N.J. police, emergency management send free text alerts to public phones, PDAs (with related video)

Mobile users who subscribe to the free Nixle Connect emergency alert service now can receive real-time alerts from the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) and the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM). The alerts — which are sent by Nixle on behalf of 4,800 U.S. government agencies — include emergency alerts, reports of missing persons (including AMBER Alerts), traffic incidents with extended delays, crime information, safety tips, community outreach programs, and other public-safety information.

"If there's a snow emergency, a manmade/natural disaster, or a serious traffic tie-up, subscribing agencies can alert Nixle Connect users in their geographic area just by sending the alert to us," said Travis Scott, Nixle's vice president of agency relations. "We immediately alert the relevant Nixle subscribers via text/SMS, e-mail and Internet postings."

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, LAPD, Chicago Police Department, Louisiana State Police and Kansas Highway Patrol are among Nixle's government subscribers. "This said, we make no distinction about how big or small an agency has to be to use our service," Scott said. "And it is free to everyone, without any third-party ads."

The company supports Nixle Connect through sales of its Nixle Dial mass emergency phone-calling system and Nixle Interconnect software, which lets a department's mobile phones be managed like a public-safety network.

"We are excited to use Nixle as part of our comprehensive communication strategy," Col. Rick Fuentes, NJSP superintendent and NJOEM director, said in a press statement. "This service allows us to send real-time information directly to the public in critical situations. Whether it's a natural disaster alert or a missing child advisory, we can now reach New Jersey residents wherever they may be."