In a move to enhance community safety and communication, Universal City has updated its alert system to keep residents informed about emergencies and city updates. The new platform, dubbed Universal City Alerts, is powered by CivicReady, a mass notification system designed to disseminate information swiftly to the public through various mediums.
Residents can register for the service to receive notifications such as emergency alerts, city council meeting agendas, and updates on public services like water utilities or road closures via phone calls, text messages, and emails. While many users from the previous Blackboard Connect system may find their accounts already transitioned to the CivicReady platform, some accounts have not integrated smoothly, so the city is urging residents to check and update their preferences.
To sign up for the notification system, residents can create an online account, where they can tailor the alerts according to their needs. They can select what kind of notifications they receive and the preferred methods of contact by visiting Universal City Alerts. Additionally, text-only alerts are obtainable by texting specific group keywords to 38276, with 'UniversalCity' being the tag for general and emergency notifications.
Voice alerts will be sent from 830-465-3175, and officials recommend saving this number in contacts to ensure these calls are not missed. During such calls, subscribers should say "hello" to prompt the recorded message after a brief pause. For those preferring text messages, the key groups range from 'UCcouncil' for city council updates to 'UCservices' for public service interruptions.
The alert system not only covers emergencies that might require immediate action such as evacuations or shelter in place orders, but also non-emergency situations with substantial potential impact, including major traffic disruptions or ongoing police and fire operations. While the service is free, carriers may charge for texts or data usage. Residents who need assistance with their accounts or have concerns about their subscription status can contact Regina Carmona at (210) 619-0721 during business hours.
