What is the D.E.A.N.?
D.E.A.N. is an acronym for Dynamic Emergency Alert Network. The system has been specially designed to rapidly communicate time-sensitive information to several people simultaneously. Whether it is an emergency alert, weather advisory, or general information that must be shared with a large or small group, D.E.A.N. will instantly communicate with you via cell phone instant text messages or by e-mail.
Who can register?
In order to register for the D.E.A.N. Alert system, your school, company, or organization will provide our technicians with a list of names of eligible members. They will typically provide a unique password for each person to avoid the possibility that someone else can register as you and receive your alerts. This unique password is typically the last four digits of your social security number.
How will I receive my alerts?
When you register, you will be asked to provide an e-mail address and a cell phone number. Once registered you can decide to enable both, one or the other, or choose not to receive alerts at all. You can also opt out at anytime.
How complicated is the D.E.A.N.?
The beauty of D.E.A.N. is the speed and simplicity of the system. Within seconds, thousands of people can be alerted to potential emergency situations by merely answering their cell phone and reading the text message. If you are in an office or at home in front of your computer, you will receive an instant e-mail. Either way, all you need to do is read the message and respond accordingly.
How reliable is the system?
Having a great system that experiences technical problems results in a poor system that is of little use. The D.E.A.N. system is hosted in a secure facility that possesses redundant, uninterrupted power sources (dual power grid connections, reserve battery power, plus a back-up generator) and is backed-up in an off-site location. If anything should ever fail at our primary hosting site, the immediate switch should cause no disruption in service. If there is an emergency, the message will get out with 99.9% certainty.
How long will it take me to receive an emergency alert?
Receipt of a message can take anywhere from a couple of seconds to a couple of minutes, depending upon the strength of your signal.
How much will an emergency alert notification cost me?
The e-mail notification will not cost anything to send or receive. The cell phone text message may cost the recipient depending on their plan with their carrier. Many people have unlimited texting, so there is no cost. If they pay by the message, the cost can range from $.02 to $.15.
Can D.E.A.N. be used for anything other than emergency alerts?
Absolutely, and that is the beauty of the system! Special groups can be set up for various athletic teams, clubs, marching band, etc. Informational advisories can be out on short notice to alert members of last minute changes in plans. Special reminders can be scheduled months ahead of time and will be sent automatically.
How are unauthorized people kept away from the D.E.A.N.?
Only people who you pre-authorize can join your group. In addition to a list of names you will provide, we also request a special code number (i.e., last four digits of their SSN), known only to the proper enrollee.
How do we know the messages have been sent to the proper person?
During the registration process, each enrollee provides their unique e-mail address and cell phone number. We send a validation code to each device and this number must be entered on the registration page to complete the process. This confirms that the message went through to the proper device. Members can also click on the test message button to re-confirm that messages are being sent to the correct locations.
