Penn students can now add another line of communication that keeps them wired to the most up-to-date information about Philadelphia.
Although ReadyNotifyPA — the technological platform that allows multiple agencies to send notifications via e-mail and text to people living in the city — has been around for several years, the Philadelphia Police added new alerts that began on Dec. 31.
These notifications include safety and prevention tips and announcements for events like upcoming community meetings. In addition, the police will also issue crime alerts, such as those that call on the public for assistance in apprehending a suspect.
Karima Zedan, director of strategic communications for the Philadelphia Police, specifically explained the crime alerts using the case of a hypothetical robbery in which the suspect is “clearly and visibly caught on surveillance,” or where there is “accurate and sendable information.” In this case, an alert would be sent out telling the public to be alert and asking that they keep a look out for the suspect.
“It’s just like we do in traditional, general media,” she said. “We’re just trying to use another avenue of communication to send out timely and relevant information to the public, like you would with a press release or even a tweet.”
However, the information can only reach those who sign up with ReadyNotifyPA and opt for the police department notifications.
Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush advised students to register for the notifications.
“It’s a great thing to sign up for since Penn students will be living in Philadelphia for the next few years, and it’s useful to know when there’s a traffic jam or the next community meeting is,” she said.
She also stressed the difference between ReadyNotifyPA and UPennAlert, saying that the latter will be “used more infrequently than ReadyNotifyPA will ever be.”
“Psychologically, if you get too many notices, you might get information fatigue and start to ignore it,” she said. “On the other hand, it’s great that the city can reach the number of citizens they do, as they did in the snow emergency last winter. There are pros and cons to both of these systems.”
Students can sign up for ReadyNotifyPA at readynotifypa.org. Registration is free.
