SAN MATEO, Calif., Sept. 25, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AtHoc, Inc., the global leader in network-centric interactive crisis communications, will support Twitter's new emergency "alerts" capability that enables official sources to designate tweets they publish as emergency alerts. In an emergency, when a torrent of Twitter messages come from hundreds or even thousands of sources, knowing which are alerts from official sources will help organizations ensure the safety of their communities by eliminating clutter and uncertainty. Twitter's new alerts service also enables official informational Twitter messages to take precedence and designates them as priority distributions, to better inform subscribers.
AtHoc's Interactive Warning System (AtHoc IWS) is the industry's most comprehensive platform for emergency mass notifications, personnel accountability and shared situational awareness. AtHoc IWS already supports feeds to Twitter and other IP-based channels to create a complete and fully integrated system for emergency mass alerting, including message delivery to computer desktop pop-ups, smart phone apps, Facebook, SMS text, phones, digital signs, Microsoft Lync, Cisco VoIP, cable TV, radios, sirens and more. AtHoc IWS will be extended to include the new Twitter alerts capability for its customers.
"As the leading supplier of next-gen interactive warning systems to the Department of Defense, federal and state agencies, major industrial and service organizations, leading universities and healthcare organizations throughout the world, we understand the importance of conveying accurate, concise, immediate and continuous information throughout an emergency event," said Aviv Siegel, CTO of AtHoc. "Having a reliable source of information to direct and inform the population during an emergency event is key to preventing or reducing casualties, as well as promoting an expeditious recovery."
Several leading organizations are already participating in the international Twitter initiative including the American Red Cross, the National Interagency Fire Center, the Centers for Disease in the United States Control and Prevention and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to Twitter's website.
"This is a great initiative by Twitter, and we applaud it," continued Siegel. "It shows the continuous and rapid movement of physical security systems for personal safety converging into the mobile and IP environments. We already have worked with our customers to integrate the FEMA IPAWS, Twitter and other delivery channels into the AtHoc IWS platform to provide a comprehensive and fully integrated interactive warning system."
AtHoc systems are currently protecting millions of people at thousands of locations worldwide. Today, large governments, universities, healthcare institutions and major industrial enterprises around the globe are experiencing the power and reliability of the innovative AtHoc IWS platform to meet their needs for community protection. AtHoc IWS already protects 60 percent of federal government employees in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Department of Homeland Security, Veteran Affairs and other government organizations. Industrial, educational and state and local customers include Baylor Health, Kaiser Permanente, UCLA, Texas A&M University and Contra Costa County, Calif.
About AtHoc
AtHoc is the pioneer and recognized leader in network-centric emergency mass communications systems for healthcare, military, homeland security, government, industrial, and commercial organizations. AtHoc's products are used for physical security, employee protection, personnel accountability, recall and regulatory compliance. Millions of end-users worldwide, in organizations such as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Baylor Health, Scott & White Health System, Raymond W. Bliss Army Medical Center, UCLA, U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security rely on AtHoc's unified notification systems for their emergency alerting and critical communication needs. AtHoc was recently awarded Government Security News' (GSN) 2012 Homeland Security Award for Best Mass Notification System and has also been recognized by Gartner, Inc. as a leader in its Magic Quadrant for Emergency Mass Notification Services. For more information about AtHoc, please visit http://www.athoc.com