Unified Messaging : Inter-American Development Bank supports the implementation of UMS Alert system

UMS alert system will provide residents in The Bahamas with better information when sudden events occur. The goal is that more precise and increased information flow will give people the best decision-making basis when time is scarce, before, during and after dangerous events like severe weather.

-This is UMS's first project together with the Inter-American Development Bank and the first in the Caribbean,which gives a very important reference in conjunction with the deployment of similar systems in the region,

says Espen Gylvik CEO of UMS

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in The Bahamas has implemented a multi-agency public notification system giving them the ability to use the system to send SMS alerts to all active cellular subscribers in an affected area, regardless of preregistration. The system will be used in addition to, and will not replace, any of the other communications mechanisms/platforms normally used for informing the public.

The objective is that the system will provide information to improve the basis for better decision making during incidents that occur suddenly, like hurricanes and natural disasters, when a good warning and information system is essential for peoples' safety and welfare. The system is a pilot project provided by UMS Americas (a company within the UMS ASA group) as part of the "Sustainable Nassau" initiative led by the Office of The Prime Minister, and with assistance from the Inter-American Development Bank.

-This is an important part of NEMA's renewed mission to build disaster resilient communities throughout our archipelago,

says Captain Stephen Russell, Director of NEMA.

Residents and visitors to The Bahamas are invited to register on the citizen portal at www.alertbahamas.com to receive further SMS and email notifications during the pilot period from:

• NEMA (Emergency preparedness tips, tropical cyclone alerts)
• Royal Bahamas Police Force (missing/wanted persons, traffic diversions, crime prevention tips)
• Bahamas Information Services
• The Bahamas Department of Meteorology

About UMS

UMS ASA (Unified Messaging Systems ASA) is a Norwegian technology company with international operations, headquartered in Oslo. The company has more than 1,200 customers worldwide reaching over 500 million people with its systems for public notifications. The company was founded in 1998 and is established as an industry leader within the area of critical communication and population alerting systems.

October 5, 2017