Community Outreach & Proactive Engagement

B la c k b o a
rd
C onne c t

C om m u nity O u tre ach
& P roactive E ngage m e nt We b cas t

S pe a ke rs

• Zach Deming, Blackboard Connect

• Lorin Bristow, Managing Partner, Galain Solutions
Inc.

• Robert Frydryk, Police Chief, Palmer,
Massachusetts

• Peter Franzese, Public Affairs Manager, Concord,
North Carolina

2

Ag e nda

• Galain Survey: Citizen’s Perspective of Mass
Notification
• Proactive Engagement in Palmer, MA
• Community Outreach in Concord, NC
• Leveraging Citizen Notification Preferences
• Q&A

3

B la c k b o a r d C o n n e c t
O v e r v ie w
• Send critical messages quickly
and easily

• Reach communities the way they
prefer

• Deliver targeted and relevant
messages

• Rely on dedicated, expert Client
Care specialists

4

C it iz e n P e r c e p t io n s
o f M a s s N o t if ic a t io n

Lorin Bristow
Managing Partner
Galain Solutions, Inc.

5

Citizen Perceptions
of Mass Notification
Online Learning Event

Presented by: Funded by:

6 Copyright 2012 Galain Solutions, Inc.

S t u d y G o a ls :

Citizen
Perspective

Copyright 2011 Galain Solutions, Inc.

R e s e a rc h Approa c h
• Telephone interviews
• 520 respondents
• Blackboard Connect customers
• “Emergency only” and “non-emergency” philosophies


A Look at Key Findings


Citizens believe mass notification is
important to their family’s
overall safety.


Citizens are divided on when alerts
should be issued…but their preferences
match well with local officials’
philosophies.


Citizens are divided on philosophy…


Citizen philosophies match those of
local officials...


L o c a l a g e n c ie s n e e d n o t b e
o v e r ly c o n c e r n e d a b o u t s e n d in g
a p p r o p r ia t e
n o n -e m e r g e n c y m e s s a g e .


Citizens will listen and respond.


Relevance is the key to minimizing
message fatigue.


Relevance impacts importance.


R e g u la r r e c e ip t o f n o n -
e m e r g e n c y a le r t s a p p e a r s
to p ro mo te a s e ns e o f
c o m m u n it y c o n n e c t io n .


Recorded alerts are the most
widely accepted and desired
method of mass notification.
(emergency and non-emergency messages)


Putting it all Together


K e y C o n c lu s io n s
• C it iz e n s c o n s id e r m a s s n o t if ic a t io n s t o b e
im p o r t a n t .
• T h e y h a v e d if f e r in g o p in io n s o n w h e n
n o t if ic a t io n s h o u ld b e u s e d
• T h e ir p h ilo s o p h ie s t e n d t o m a t c h lo c a l p u b lic
s a f e t y a g e n c y p r a c t ic e s
• S e n d in g a p p r o p r ia t e n o n -e m e r g e n c y a le r t s w ill,
in g e n e r a l, n o t n e g a t iv e ly im p a c t f u t u r e
n o t if ic a t io n s ( t h o u g h a n a n n o y a n c e t h r e s h o ld
m a y e v e n t u a lly b e r e a c h e d )
• N o n -e m e r g e n c y a le r t s c a n f o s t e r a s e n s e o f
c o m m u n it y
• R e le v a n c e is k e y t o m in im iz in g m e s s a g e f a t ig u e

P r o a c t iv e E n g a g e m e n t
in P a lm e r ,
M a s s a c hus e tts
Robert Frydryk
Chief of Police
Palmer, MA

27

S e ve r e We a th e r
R e c o ve ry
T h e O c t o b e r W in t e r
• Disaster recovery after the early extreme winter weather
S to rm
• Shelter locations and hours of operations

• Many left without power still received messages on cell
phones

• Residents reported feeling more informed than any
other nearby community

28

P r o a c t iv e O u t r e a c h
C o n n e c t i n g Yo u r
C o m m u n it y
• Road Closures and detours

• Meeting announcements and reminders –
• Town Council
• Special Elections
• Liquor License Commission
• Volunteer Fire Departments

29

P r o a c t iv e O u t r e a c h
C o n n e c t i n g Yo u r
C o m m u n it y
• Daily police department employee notifications –
extra duty traffic details and overtime shift availability

• Supplement to school’s mass notification system, for
School Board Meeting invites

• Overnight parking bans so DPW can clean streets –
fewer tickets, saving overnight shifts for car
ticketing/towing

30

C o m m u n it y O u t r e a c h
in C o n c o r d , N o r t h
C a r o lin a

Peter Franzese
Public Affairs Manager
Concord, NC

31

P r o v id in g L o c a l
S e r v ic e s
L o o s e L e a f P ic k u p
• Annual program to collect residents’ fallen leaves

• Residents have three opportunities between November
and February to rake leaves to curb for pickup

• Send last minute reminders via Connect for last three
years and, in conjunction with a quarterly community
magazine and utility bill inserts, a phone proves most
direct

• Use shape files to geo-target residents
32

C o m m u n it y O u t r e a c h
K e e p i n g Yo u r
C o m m u n it y In f o r m e d
• Water Main Breaks

• Fire Dept. hydrant maintenance announcements and
instructions

• City Holidays (solid waste collection schedule updates)

• Local Events, e.g. 5K Race

• County library sends overdue and reserved book
notices
33

C it iz e n F e e d b a c k &
B e s t P r a c t ic e s
• Use the same voice for messages when possible

• Send messages requesting updated data – as cell
phone use grows, it can be harder to collect the
correct number for resident

• Citizens expect regular non-emergency updates

• Only two citizens have requested system removal in
four years of messaging

34

C it iz e n F e e d b a c k &
B e s t P r a c t ic e s
• Choose your Caller ID carefully

• Avoid sending information to businesses that have
nothing to do with their needs

• Target your message whenever possible; avoid
message fatigue by using shape files to geo-target
contacts

35

C onne c t Ac c e s s
P o rta l
• Recipients tell you when and
how they want to receive
messages

• Manage their contact info –
phone numbers, email
addresses, home address

• Create portal groups so your
community tells you what
interests them

• Complete history of previously
sent messages
36

R e s ourc e s

• Galain Solutions’
Mass Notification: The
Citizens’ Perspective

• Blackboard Connect for
Government Website:
http://www.blackboard.com/connectforgov

37

Q&A


C o nta c t U s

To speak with a sales representative or to schedule a
demo:
•Call: 800-424-9299 ext. 4
•Or visit: blackboard.com/connectforgov

Send questions for our speakers to Zach Deming
(zach.deming@blackboard.com)

39

T h a n k Yo u


Community Outreach & Proactive Engagement

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