County to install e-warning system

Knox County is set to implement a mass notification system that has the ability to quickly provide emergency telephone, text, or email notices to every one of its residents at one time or focus only on a single neighborhood or street corner if need be.

The communication service, which will cost about $70,000 a year to operate, should be in place within the next six months.

"I think it's going to be a marvelous thing to have, and I don't think there's any question that in a few years from now we'll look back and say that this is a great investment and that it also probably helped save some lives," said Knox County Commissioner Mike Hammond, who is spearheading the effort.

Companies have until the end of August to place a bid. After that, an evaluation committee will recommend a vendor to the County Commission for final approval, possibly during the board's October meeting.

"I think this started back when we had the tornadoes about a year or so ago and all the destruction that occurred, and it really came to me the fact that we really didn't have any early warning system," Hammond said. "It's not just for tornadoes, though. Let's say there's an accident on Papermill Road. It can send out text messages to the people who live in a certain radius of the accident. Or if there's a water main leak and we have to close the road. It can let the people who live in the area know."

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