In a move to bolster community safety communications, the City of Sarasota has integrated Neighbors by Ring into its repertoire of outreach tools. The Neighbors app, known for connecting people with local happenings through their video doorbells and security cameras, is now set to also deliver essential community notifications directly from the city. As Sarasota braces itself for the hurricane season, this high-tech collaboration aims to spread critical updates when they matter most.
Residents of Sarasota can expect to quickly receive alerts and advisories via the Neighbors platform, especially during severe weather events. "The Neighbors app is an additional outreach tool," Sarasota's Communications General Manager Jan Thornburg said in a statement, according to the City of Sarasota. The city has prepped to better safeguard its community by partnering directly with Ring, working diligently to secure a verified account ready to fully operate before the storm season rolls in. This new channel of communication promises to cast a wider net that will hopefully enable the city to connect with a larger swath of its residents when it's most crucial.
The verified Neighbors account made its debut in time for Hurricane Preparedness Week, which runs from Sunday to this Saturday. This intentional timing underscores the city's commitment to preemptively equip its citizens with the tools to stay informed and prepared. Neighbors is accessible not just to Ring users but to anyone interested in staying updated. The app is available for free on both the Apple App Store and Google Play and can also be accessed within the primary Ring app.
With the integration of Neighbors by Ring, Sarasota is taking proactive steps to ensure that its citizens have one more avenue to orderly receive updates during emergencies. Given the unpredictable nature of hurricanes, having access to real-time information is key, and the Neighbors app is positioned to serve just that need. "We'll be able to cast a wider net to connect with more residents, which will be particularly beneficial during an emergency, like an impending hurricane," Jan Thornburg told the City of Sarasota in a statement.
