Delay in TorranceAlerts Notifications Prompt Concerns
Last Thursday a suspicious package was left near a Social Security office in Torrance. The incident prompted a response from a bomb squad and resulted in the closure of Crenshaw Blvd. Fortunately, the package ended up being nothing more than a lunch bag containing creamer and nobody was harmed, but a delay in residents receiving notice about the event has prompted concerns.
The Daily Breeze reported that the package was first discovered at 3 pm. TorranceAlerts messages did not reach many residents until 4:23 pm. The delay in notification irked Southeast Torrance Homeowners’ Association President, John Bailey, who commented “It is not acceptable to take an hour and twenty minutes to notify the public that they shut down both directions of a major thoroughfare like Crenshaw Blvd.”
Bailey, who had fielded several inquiries from concerned residents prior to receiving the notification from the City, wrote an e-mail to City officials asking whether there were problems with the Everbridge system Torrance utilizes to send out Torrance Alerts.
Liutenant Jennifer Uyeda responded to Bailey’s inquiry as follows:
Hello Mr. Bailey,I am looking into the Everbridge question you posed to Kelli below, but do not believe there was an issue with the system. I completely understand that it seems like it took a long time for a notification to be sent, and I will admit that we can always do better. A big part of our organizational philosophy is Continuous Improvement.I would also like an opportunity to share my insight from behind the scenes that these types of calls are extremely chaotic during the initial stages of response. The Watch Commander and Communications Supervisors’ primary concern is getting resources on scene to lock down the area and begin evacuations of people who are physically in the immediate danger zone. Once this is all in place, we then try to get a TorranceAlert out to the public.Again, I acknowledge there is always room for improvement. One way in which we are looking to improve our communication with the public is that we are in the initial stages of hiring a Social Media Coordinator! I, for one, am very excited about the strides we will take with a full-time employee dedicated to this.Thank you for your involvement in our great community and your dedication to your Homeowners’ Association. We rely on our engaged citizens.Best Regards,Lt. Jennifer Uyeda
After reading this I would like to suggest that the City of Torrance Wake UP! Here is how they can do that! Revise procedures now in place that provides in serious circumstances that the fire or police are notified that an immediate notification is generated at the same time units are being dispatched to an incident regardless of the severity if the public should be in danger from what ever might be occuring. One way for this to happen is to tie in the Alert system to the Communications Center where in the Supervisor on Duty can immediately dispatch an ALERT on the system. Also not just the system itself but also on various types of Social Media such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and others. We live in a an electronic age right now and it really should not be that difficult to have prepared copy of a “Torrance Police or Fire “ALERT NOTICE” and then provide the details of the ALERT, including the incident, the location, traffic coordinates that might be affected, and estimated time of handling, along with All CLEAR notification being sent out when the ALERT is now in the process of closeout with agencies involved. Now the ALERT NOTICE could have subject content and brief description and the best way to react to it for the citizen. The Alert Notice does not need to be lengthy, and could be sent within minutes of the call for assistance being taken. All this takes is strong Planning, Training, and Coordination and finally Execution with TESTS of the ALERT System every 90 days minimum to assure integrity. Why not give this a try! Ask for feedback from those receiving the ALERT, and improve the system as it becomes more mature. Where is the City Manager and the Council with regards to seeing needs and identifying suggestions? I wonder? I hope to see feedback here of a positive nature with regards to this comment.
I only got tell notice that Crenshaw had been opened up again. Never received notice of what had happened.
TorranceA!erts is deficient on both the front end AND the back end. Of more than 147,000 people found by the U.S.Census, TorranceA!erts has only 13,000 registrations (this is according to Mayor Fuery during a discussion of the Coyote Management Plan at the City Council meeting of September 20, 2016, at approximately 2hours and 29mins in the video of the meeting.). So, even if they were to send the alert before notifying anyone within the Police or Fire Departments, less than 10% of the populace would have the information. If this technology is their go to solution for involving the citizens, the City has a lot of work to do.
Most drivers on Crenshaw aren’t even Torrance residents. The impact would be minimal even if every resident received the alerts. More complaints about something that didn’t even exist a couple years ago. In 2014, you wouldn’t have gotten noticed at all.