Town encouraging residents to stay informed through new text notification service

The Town of Fort Erie wants to bring information in real time, straight to the mobile phones of people who live here.

Residents can register to receive updates through email about great things happening in their community, but also in a new and more timely fashion by getting notifications through SMS, also known as text messaging.

Signing up will mean marketing and customer services notifications will pop up on local phones, but also updates about emergencies and inclement weather.

“We’re constantly looking at ways to improve how we meet the information needs of our community by evaluating what is effective in our modern world,” said Kevin Beauchamp, the town’s communications manager.

Adding SMS to the town’s communications toolbox is a “no-brainer” because it is immediate and a short message can instruct residents to take an action or follow an embedded link to learn more about a situation.

Open rates are also much higher for SMS, as people read them more often and that’s the best case scenario for the town to keep residents “informed during potentially harmful weather emergencies that we often experience here in Fort Erie,” said Beauchamp.

The perfect example is what the community experienced with Winter Storm Elliott during Christmas 2022, a massive weather event that resulted in a state of emergency being called.

“As the situation changed it became more difficult to reach people. Factors such as power, internet, phone and cell service were all available and compromised at different times for different people in certain areas, so we have to use all the tools available to reach them,” he said.

The town is using a multi-pronged approach to ensure it is reaching as many people as possible.

The town encourages residents to be proactive, bookmark its website, follow its social media channels, listen to Fort Erie Radio, and join the email and new text messaging service at forterie.ca/subscribe.

Everyone that joins or has already joined the list will be entered to win a pre-made 72-hour emergency kit, worth about $300, which will be drawn at the beginning of December.

October 28, 2024 @ 3:53 p.m. | CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story stated the town will be giving away a 72-hour emergency kit worth $500 when the actual value is closer to $300.

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