New App Allows Johns Creek To Send Emergency Alerts

The city of Johns Creek has launched another tool to communicate with its residents.

JC Now, a new smartphone app that pushes emergency notifications from the city, is now available to download for Android and iOS devices, the city said in a press release. 

The app also allows residents to access city interactive maps, news articles, council meeting agendas, social media and contact information.

“Johns Creek is very tightly engaged with its public and vice versa,” said Johns Creek Senior Communications Manager Rosemary Taylor. “To keep that civic engagement strong, we need to continue to take advantage of technology that gives instant notification of major traffic issues, inclement weather, or other major events.”

The app was custom-built by the city’s GIS (Geographic Information Systems) team using open source technology.

“Push notifications are similar to text messages, but are much shorter,” said GIS Manager Nick O’Day. “ Text messages can result in usage fees, but push notifications use a tiny burst of a smartphone user’s data; something that all smartphone users already pay for.”

Earlier this year, a beta version of JC Now won first place at the 2014 Esri International User Conference in San Diego.

“Thousands of GIS experts from around the world – including the CEO of Esri – took notice of how we used free/open source technology to create a useful app for Johns Creek,” O’Day added.

JC Now is the first of three smartphone apps Johns Creek has in the works. Coming soon will be apps for requesting help from public works crews and police officers.

Photo credit: city of Johns Creek