Lake Zurich to test new emergency alert system today

Lake Zurich village officials have launched an emergency notification system and will test it today.

The Blackboard Connect mass notification platform gives the village the ability to notify all residents instantly through automated voice recordings, e-mail, text messages and more. Lake Zurich will use the system predominantly for emergencies, such as natural disasters or in the event of a missing person.

The program allows the village the notify the entire community or select areas. Messages can be community wide, just for businesses or for village employees.

"In an urgent situation, we need to be able to notify and provide information and direction to residents immediately," said Terry Mastandrea, Lake Zurich Fire chief and Emergency Management Agency director.

The system costs $10,500 a year for unlimited use. The first two years will be funded, in part, by the Illinois Terrorism Task Force/Emergency Operation Center Tech grant of $15,000. The village will assess the program after two years and decide whether to make it part of the permanent budget.

Other villages that have the Blackboard platform include Barrington, Deer Park, Kildeer, Buffalo Grove, Long Grove and North Barrington.

Lake Zurich will conduct a communitywide test call at 4 p.m. for businesses and 6 p.m. for residents.

Public contact information is already in the system, but residents are recommended to provide all of their information by going to Lake Zurich's Web site: www.volz.org and clicking on the "Emergency Alert" tab.