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National Safety Council Uses Send Word Now(TM) to Send Messages via Emergency Alert Network (EAN) During H1N1 Flu Outbreak

Posted on: Thursday, 28 May 2009, 08:56 CDT

National Safety Council Contacts More than 18,000 Businesses at Onset of Public Health Emergency

NEW YORK, May 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Send Word Now, the leading provider of emergency notification and other on-demand alerting and response services, today announced that the National Safety Council (NSC) used the Company's alerting platform to send public health alerts via its Emergency Alert Network (EAN) to more than 18,000 businesses across the United States to alert them at the onset of the swine flu outbreak. Using Send Word Now, the National Safety Council sent both voice and text-based notifications containing critical information to help businesses get ahead of the curve and start to plan for contingencies related to the swine flu and the H1N1 flu.

Contacts in the EAN database include members of businesses in critical infrastructure sectors, such as healthcare, utilities, water and wastewater management, transportation, communications, banking and insurance, as well as large- and small-retail establishments, schools, and manufacturing. Together, the businesses have the potential to reach eight million employees and their dependents.

"EAN is an efficient tool that provides timely, relevant and action-oriented information to a broad base of businesses, and ultimately increases the National Safety Council's ability to help proactively inform businesses, limit the spread of disease and save lives," stated Tess Benham, Program Manager, Home and Community Partnerships and Initiatives, of the National Safety Council. "With our EAN, we can efficiently and effectively provide emergency health information to a large population."

The National Safety Council's emergency communication system was also activated during Hurricane Ike to lead communication response activities, including the distribution of health protection information to the public and stakeholders before, during and after the hurricane. Close to 18,000 businesses received a message, which advised proper generator use to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

The message was sent by voice, email and SMS text message to 34,805 contact points, including 19,551 phone numbers and 15,254 e-mail addresses. Members also had the ability to reply using Send Word Now's "Get Word Back" feature by pressing the number 1 to confirm receipt of the message.

"The National Safety Council joins a growing list of public health and federal agencies that rely on Send Word Now to communicate potentially life saving information to employees, patients and their families," said Tony Schmitz, CEO of Send Word Now. "The National Institutes of Health, Indian Health Service and members of the Veteran's Affairs network of hospitals also use Send Word Now for mass notification and emergency alerting to their constituents."

About Send Word Now

Send Word Now is the leading provider of on-demand alerting and response services for both emergency and routine communication. Send Word Now's easy-to-use, web-based services are used by government agencies, universities, non-profit organizations and businesses, including many Fortune 500 companies, to ensure fast, effective, two-way communication in real-time -- anywhere, anytime, regardless of location, device or connection.

Send Word Now's messaging platform is capable of transmitting hundreds of thousands of voice and text messages in minutes, receiving responses and monitoring and reporting on the results. The company is headquartered in New York City. Contact Send Word Now via e-mail at sales@sendwordnow.com, via phone 212-379-4900 or visit us on the Web at www.sendwordnow.com.

Press Contact: Laura Sankowich SVP Marketing and Communications SWN Communications Inc. 212-379-4928 lsankowich@sendwordnow.com

SOURCE Send Word Now

Source: PR Newswire

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