What Is ReadyNotifyPA?

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ReadyNotifyPA Information Toolkit
Provided by:
Southeastern PA Regional Task Force
1
Dear <INSERT ORGANIZATION OR CONTACT>,
As you’re an integral and valued part of our community, we hope that you will help us promote
ReadyNotifyPA, a free text message and e-mail emergency alert system serving Bucks, Chester,
Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties. ReadyNotifyPA is run by the Southeastern
Pennsylvania Regional Task Force and its alerts cover a breadth of situations and emergencies, including
severe storms, floods, AMBER alerts, chemical spills, black ice, the need to seek shelter and more.
While the majority of emergencies are unpredictable, residents can become aware of situations quickly by
signing up for ReadyNotifyPA. Not only does ReadyNotifyPA alert subscribers of situations that interrupt
daily routines, such as traffic jams and utility outages, but it also provides notifications about serious
emergencies like security threats and evacuations. With that knowledge, people can do simple things to
prepare themselves and, in some cases, avoid an emergency situation.
Your help raising awareness and educating your employees, customers, members, and community will
play a vital role in helping local citizens be prepared and be informed. This toolkit is designed to help you
accomplish this goal by providing a host of tools you can use to inform your constituents about
ReadyNotifyPA.
To register for this free alert service, residents of Southeastern Pennsylvania can simply go to
ReadyNotifyPA’s new Web site, www.readynotifypa.org, which makes it even easier to sign up. Upon
registration, subscribers can select how they would like to receive the alerts—via text message or e-mail.
Please note that while the ReadyNotifyPA service is free, cellular providers may charge for text
messaging.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the emergency management office in your county.
Complete contact information can be found on page 5 of this toolkit. For more information about
ReadyNotifyPA, please visit www.readynotifypa.org, and thank you, in advance, for your help in
promoting this important service.
Sincerely,
Joan Przybylowicz
Deputy Director for External Affairs/Public Information Officer
City of Philadelphia Emergency Management
Chair, Public Information, Education and Outreach Workgroup
Southeastern PA Regional Task Force
Stacey Hajdak
Director of Communications
County of Bucks
Vice-chair, Public Information, Education and Outreach
Southeastern PA Regional Task Force
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TOOLKIT CONTENTS
SECTION
TOPIC
PAGE
Section I
What is ReadyNotifyPA?
4
Section II
Who is the ReadyNotifyPA contact for my county?
5
Section III
How Can I Help Promote ReadyNotifyPA?
6
Section IV
ReadyNotifyPA Communication Tools
7
- E-mail Sample
7
- Newsletter/Web Site Language
8
- Sample Envelope Stuffer Language
9
- Sample Poster
10
- Sample Flyer
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3
SECTION I: What Is ReadyNotifyPA?
ReadyNotifyPA is an emergency alert system used by local emergency management officials to send
emergency alerts, notifications and updates to the cell phones, pagers, BlackBerries, PDAs and/or e-mail
accounts of registered subscribers. ReadyNotifyPA is a Ready Region service provided by the
Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Task Force and the Emergency Management Coordinators of Bucks,
Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.
While the majority of emergencies are unpredictable, residents can become aware of situations quickly by
signing up for ReadyNotifyPA. Not only does ReadyNotifyPA alert subscribers to situations that interrupt
daily routines, such as traffic jams and utility outages, but it also provides notifications about serious
emergencies like security threats and evacuations. With that knowledge, people can do simple things to
prepare themselves and in some cases avoid an emergency situation.
To register for this free alert service, residents of Southeastern Pennsylvania can simply go to
ReadyNotifyPA’s new Web site, www.readynotifypa.org, which makes it even easier to sign up. Upon
registration, subscribers can select how they would like to receive the alerts—via text message or e-mail.
Please note that while the ReadyNotifyPA service is free, cellular providers may charge for text
messaging.
For more information about ReadyNotifyPA, please visit www.readynotifypa.org
4
SECTION II: Who is the ReadyNotifyPA contact for my county?
Montgomery County
Contact:
Phone Number:
E-mail Address:
John Corcoran
610-278-3061
jcorcora@montcopa.org
Bucks County
Contact:
Phone Number:
E-mail Address:
Stacey Hajdak
215-348-6415
smhajdak@co.bucks.pa.us
Delaware County
Contact:
Phone Number:
E-mail Address:
Bill Lovejoy
610-891-4931
lovejoyw@co.delaware.pa.us
Philadelphia County
Contact:
Phone Number:
E-mail Address:
Joan Przybylowicz
215-686-4474
joan.przybylowicz@phila.gov
Chester County
Contact:
Phone Number:
E-mail Address:
Patty Mains
610-344-5150
pmains@chesco.org
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SECTION III: How Can We Help Promote ReadyNotifyPA?
The following section outlines sample activities you can use and ways you can help your employees,
customers, members, and communities find out first about emergencies and other important situations
affecting your local area by signing up for ReadyNotifyPA alerts.
 E-mail
o Send an e-mail to your employees, members or customers to inform them about
ReadyNotifyPA. A sample e-mail that you can use can be found on page 6.
o Use opportunistic occasions to promote the ReadyNotifyPA service with your employees,
such as when severe weather is in the forecast, when there is discussion about schools
closing early or when health epidemics, such as the recent H1N1 Flu, are in the news.
 Registration Drive
o Place a laptop in your reception area for a day and encourage employees and visitors to
sign up to receive ReadyNotifyPA alerts at www.readynotifypa.org.
 On the Web
o Promote ReadyNotifyPA on your Web site by including a link to www.readynotifypa.org.
o Include a blurb about ReadyNotifyPA on your Web site. Please find a sample on page 7.
 Newsletter
o Include a blurb about ReadyNotifyPA in your newsletter. Please find sample language on
page 7.
 During Meetings
o Share ReadyNotifyPA information, such as the sample flyer we’ve included in this toolkit
on page 10, during your regularly scheduled staff meetings and encourage employees to
sign up for the service.
 Mail
o Create and distribute messages about ReadyNotifyPA through stuffers in paycheck
envelopes and client invoice mailings. Please see a sample bill stuffer and/or message to
include with any of your regular distributions on page 8.
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SECTION IV: ReadyNotifyPA Communication Tools
In this section, you will find tools to assist you in educating your employees, customers and communities
about ReadyNotifyPA, including sample e-mails, newsletter inserts and other materials to help you get
started. Remember, you can tailor any of these materials to fit your audience and needs.
E-Mail Sample
Send e-mails to your employees and stakeholders encouraging them to sign up for ReadyNotifyPA.
Subject Line
Find Out First – Sign up for ReadyNotifyPA
Message
Dear colleagues:
In our fast paced world, it can be hard to stay on top of all that’s going on with our work, families
and communities. However, there’s a new service that’s making it a little easier to be in the know.
ReadyNotifyPA is an emergency alert system used by local emergency management officials to
send emergency alerts, notifications and updates to the cell phones, pagers, BlackBerries, PDAs
and/or e-mail accounts of registered subscribers. ReadyNotifyPA is a Ready Region service
provided by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Task Force and the Emergency Management
Coordinators of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.
Alerts cover a breadth of situations and emergencies, including severe storms, floods, AMBER
alerts, chemical spills, black ice, the need to seek shelter and more. The service even keeps
subscribers abreast of pertinent information related to health epidemics such as the recent H1N1
flu outbreak.
I encourage you to sign up for this helpful service at www.readynotifypa.org and be the first to
know! While the ReadyNotifyPA service is free, cellular providers may charge for text messaging.
Thank you,
<YOUR NAME/NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION’S LEADERSHIP>
7
Newsletter/Web Site Language
Include a blurb about ReadyNotifyPA in your newsletter or on your Web site.
Sample Language
While the majority of emergencies are unpredictable, residents can become aware of situations
quickly by signing up for ReadyNotifyPA, a free text message and e-mail emergency alert system
serving Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties. Not only does
ReadyNotifyPA alert subscribers to situations that interrupt daily routines, such as traffic jams and
utility outages, but it also provides notifications about serious emergencies like security threats
and evacuations.
By being informed about situations as they happen, you can do simple things to prepare, and in
some cases, avoid an emergency situation. We hope you will register for this free alert service by
visiting ReadyNotifyPA’s new Web site, www.readynotifypa.org. Upon registration, you are able
to select how you would like to receive the alerts—via text message or e-mail. The
ReadyNotifyPA service is free, but cellular providers may charge for text messaging.
For more information, please visit www.readynotify.org.
8
Customizable Envelope Stuffer
Create and distribute messages about ReadyNotifyPA with paychecks or other mailings by including
informative envelope stuffers.
Sample Envelope Stuffer Language
Find out first! Sign up to receive text messages and e-mail alerts about emergencies and other
important situations affecting our local area at www.readynotifypa.org. Alerts are tailored for
people who live and work in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties
and cover a breadth of situations and emergencies, such as severe storms, floods, AMBER alerts,
chemical spills, black ice, the need to seek shelter and more. The ReadyNotifyPA service is free,
but cellular providers may charge for text messaging.
9
ReadyNotifyPA Poster
Print and display this poster in your place of business or prominently in your community to encourage and
educate your employees, customers and community members about signing up for ReadyNotifyPA.
Be a Know-It-All
Find Out About Local Emergencies First
by Signing Up for ReadyNotifyPA Today
Sign up to receive text messages and e-mail alerts about emergencies and
other important situations affecting our local area at www.readynotifypa.org.
Alerts are tailored for people who live and work in Bucks, Chester, Delaware,
Montgomery and Philadelphia counties and include a variety of situations and
emergencies, such as severe storms, floods, AMBER alerts, chemical spills,
black ice, utility outages and more. The ReadyNotifyPA service is free, but
cellular providers may charge for text messaging.
www.readynotifypa.org
www.readynotifypa.org
www.readynotifypa.org
www.readynotifypa.org
www.readynotifypa.org
www.readynotifypa.org
www.readynotifypa.org
www.readynotifypa.org
www.readynotifypa.org
www.readynotifypa.org
www.readynotifypa.org
www.readynotifypa.org
www.readynotifypa.org
www.readynotifypa.org
www.readynotifypa.org
www.readynotifypa.org
www.readynotifypa.org
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ReadyNotifyPA Flyer
Print and share this flyer throughout your place of business, your community, or at key events to
encourage and educate your employees, customers and community members about signing up to receive
ReadyNotifyPA alerts.
Be a Know-It-All
Find Out About Local Emergencies First
by Subscribing to ReadyNotifyPA
Sign up to receive text messages and e-mail alerts about emergencies and
other important situations affecting our local area at www.readynotifypa.org.
Alerts are tailored for people who live and work in Bucks, Chester, Delaware,
Montgomery and Philadelphia counties and provide information about a
variety of situations and emergencies, such as:
 Chemical spills
 Black ice
 Traffic accidents and jams
 Utility Outages
 AMBER alerts
 Other severe situations and emergencies
ReadyNotifyPA’s new Web site, www.readynotify.org, makes it even easier to
register and start receiving alerts and notifications sent to your cell phones,
pagers, BlackBerries, PDAs and/or e-mail account. Sign up today and find
out first!
ReadyNotifyPA alerts are free, but cellular providers may charge for text
messaging.
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