Gloucester County Emergency Management launched this week a new emergency notification service for residents called “BEE Alert.”

All residents must manually register to receive emergency notifications even if they are already registered with the current CodeRED system.

Data from CodeRED will not automatically be transferred to the new system, which uses Everbridge technology. While registration for BEE Alert will be ongoing, residents are asked to register as soon as possible to avoid missing any emergency notifications.

“We are excited to bring this new system to Gloucester,” said Jane Wenner, Gloucester’s Emergency Services Coordinator. “It provides us with more options to notify our citizens in the event of an emergency or other important event—and it comes to us at a lower price tag.”

Registering for the system can be easily completed in several different ways. Residents can click on the image link on the county’s website, www.gloucesterva.info, where it states, “Sign up for the BEE Alert Emergency Notification System.” They can also simply text “GCVA” to 888777 and follow the prompts to enroll—or scan a QR code on marketing materials sent out by the county.

Finally, citizens can contact the Emergency Management Department directly at 804-693-1390 or DEM@gloucesterva.info to receive assistance in signing up.

Once registered, citizens will have options to choose various alerts they wish to receive. These include weather-related or other events that could compromise the safety and health of the community, that target the specific address that is input into the system. As an example, if there is a Tornado Warning issued by the U.S. National Weather Service in Wakefield for Gloucester Point, only residents in the warning-area would be notified—not the entire county.

Citizens are also able to choose the means in which they wish to receive the notifications. Messages can be received through an Everbridge application on their mobile devices, via text message, via voice call or a combination of the above.

Citizens who have signed up with the previous notification system will continue to receive alerts through the end of August. At that time, the county’s contract with that provider will end, and to continue receiving notifications, citizens must be registered with the BEE Alert system.

“We cannot stress enough the importance of signing up for this system,” Wenner added. “Ultimately, it will protect you and your family, and possibly even save your life.”