By Sue Pascoe
Editor
Palisades Patrol has unveiled a new app that alerts residents to breaking news on fires, police activity, traffic accidents and road closures in the Palisades area. The community alert app, which is available at the Apple Store, is free to all residents. One does not have to be a Palisades Patrol client to access it.
Palisades Patrol, which operates under Gates Security, is often first on the scene of an incident in Pacific Palisades. The app will provide alerts and is available to everyone who has a smart phone or tablet device.
“App users will remain anonymous and won’t be on an email list,” said Kurt Park, chief technology officer.
Often when there is a helicopter circling overhead, or a traffic accident causes road closures, residents call Palisades Patrol, which is based in the Village, to ask what is happening.
“With our 24-hour monitoring and patrol operations in our various patrol communities, this app will help provide community awareness,” said Gates Security CEO Scott Wagenseller (Palisades News owner). “It will also lessen calls to our office for information in emergency situations.”
“The app goes out directly to everyone who has signed up and they will get information immediately,” said Wagenseller.
Park said the app will send out an initial alert statement, “Gates Security Community Alert,” and information will include time of occurrence, type of incident and location. For example, one posting might read: “11:07 a.m., traffic accident, 300 blk of Toyopa Drive.”
Additional information may also be available such as photos and video, esti- mated time that the incident will affect the area and a narrative: “2 car t/c, firefighters on scene, duration 2 hours.”
Wagenseller said the app will be used only for serious breaking news that affects the quality of life.
“The fire department is constantly rescuing people from our local mountains from hiking and biking accidents. These incidents do not impact our commute or whether an evacuation is necessary and will not be included in our alerts,” Wagenseller said.
To add the app, go to the Apple Store and search for Gates Security, create a user name and profile and choose an area (Gates Security covers Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Conejo Valley (Agoura Hills to Thousand Oaks).
Users can select one or all areas to receive notifications and must press “select notification” to receive notifications on the phone or tablet device.
Asked how many alerts residents should expect, Park said: “One weekend was busy and there were three alerts in the Palisades alone. Some weekends there are none.”
Call (310) 454-7741 and visit the company website.
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