Description of the experience gathered on MARN on the Development and Implementation of a Notifications and Alert System

1. El Salvador’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources experience on
Alerts and Notification Systems
Author:
David Eliseo Martínez Castellanos
Software Developer
Ministry of Environment en Natural Resources, El Salvador.
Abstract:
The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources is responsible of the continuous and permanent monitoring of the Natural Hazards in Republic of El Salvador, Central America. As a result of this monitoring alerts and notifications are generated and delivered through different means, including: The institutional Web page, e-mail, SMS, Social Media (Twitter), and Android Smartphones. This document covers the description of the System designed to handle the alerts and notifications on SMS, Social Media (Twitter) and Android Smartphones.
Introduction
El Salvador, officially Republic of El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country of Central America. El Salvador's position on the Pacific Ocean also makes it subject to severe weather conditions, including heavy rainstorms and severe droughts, both of which may be made more extreme by the El Niño and La Niña effects. Severe deforestation and soil erosion have made the landscape vulnerable to landslides and forest fires. These characteristics, coupled with severe fiscal constraints, make the nation highly susceptible to the impacts of extreme weather events1. The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of El Salvador (Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, MARN) through The Environment Observatory, continuously monitors the Natural Hazards Conditions for
1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Salvador
El Salvador. The Environment Observatory is composed by different technical areas including: Volcanology, Seismology, Meteorology, Hydrology and Geology. The Environment Observatory follows strict communication protocols which specify the periodical notification and alert about observed conditions, especially when this conditions imply danger for the Salvadoran people.
This document will not cover details on this protocols. This document is about the technological tools developed to help issuing this notifications and alerts specifically on SMS, Social Media (Twitter) and Android Smartphones and how all this work together. It is important to mention that the development of tools have been gradual, evolving from one tool to the next and

2. integrating each solutions to the point that it works like a unique system.
SMS Messaging System
The SMS Messaging System Developed for MARN comprises a Web Solution and a PC Program designed to work with a GSM Modem Connected to the PC. The Web Solution is the Frontend designed to be used by MARN users and the PC Program handles communication with the Modem to accomplish SMS message delivery. Figure 1 illustrates the parts of the SMS Messaging System.
Figure 1. Parts and working mechanism of the SMS Messaging System
The Web Front-End allows users to send messages to predefined groups of phones, and user selects the group depending of the message that wants to communicate. Most phone numbers are from MARN personal that has to be informed or has to act according to their protocols. Very few phone numbers are from personal external to MARN.
The solution was implemented on .Net (ASP.Net for the Web Front-End, Windows Forms for the PC Program) with C#, MS SQL Server 2005 as the Data Base.
The main limitation of this implementation is the cost of individual message.
The use of Twitter for notifications and alerts
After the Chile Earthquake and Tsunami from 2010, it became clear that Twitter was a great tool for notification and alerts. MARN experience with the social network began with the creation of a Twitter Account, and the automation of post about seismic events in El Salvador using the API provided by Twitter. The number of followers started to grow without promotion of the account, just because of the general interest in the information shared.
The next step was to integrate the SMS Messaging System with the Twitter API, so the notification sent by the System is optionally twitted by the user. Figure 2 shows the simple modification done to the interface:
Figure 2. A Check box gives the user the option to publish message to twitter.
MARN twitter account (@MARN_Oficial_sv) is currently followed by 92.4K (by 2014-11-29). This allows MARN to reach a high number of citizens at low cost.
Development on Android Smartphones
With the main intention of reducing the cost on SMS messaging of MARN, an application for Android Handheld devices was designed. The advantages of developing on Android platforms are: Free access to development environment, low cost testing devices, and free access to Google Push Notification Services, on this last point is based the Application.

3. “Alertas @MARN.SV” is an Android Application available on Google Play Store that relies on Google Cloud Messaging for Android. When downloaded it allows the user to register as a MARN user or as an external user and then the Application starts receiving the messages sent by the MARN SMS Messaging System, it required just a little modification to integrate both systems.
The App user interface (Figure 3) is very simple but it fulfills its purpose.
Figure 3. Alertas @MARN.SV user interface
One additional advantage of the Android App is that there is an opportunity to add features or interact with the information sent by the push notifications, one example is the plotting of data that is included on a special message from the volcanology department, the RSAM (real-time seismic amplitude measurement system) value for San Miguel Volcano. Figure 4 shows the plotted values of observed RSAM.
Figure 4. Shows the plot of RSAM Values. Abrupt changes of RSAM values can precede a volcanic eruption.
Also, Google offers the Analytics Suit that allows you to monitor App usage and geographical reach of the App Figure 5 Shows countries with registered sessions on the App Analytics. Some sessions are from MARN employees who had traveled abroad to meetings or training.
Figure 5. Geographical reach of the App.
Conclusions
It has been a great experience to develop the Alert and Notification System for MARN, and the public reception has also been great. All the System has been developed incrementally in house and at low cost. The development on mobile devices opens the way to new and exciting opportunities.

4. Contact information
David Eliseo Martínez Castellanos, El Salvador. Software Developer for The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of El Salvador. emartinez@marn.gob.sv, eliseo.martinez@gmail.com
sv.linkedin.com/pub/david-eliseo-martinez- castellanos/35/71b/7b5/