Nixle keeps Seward County safe

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Wondering what the siren was about? Why the police cars are headed out of town? What’s up with weather warnings?

Try Nixle.

The notification system provides area residents with information about emergencies.

“It saves a lot of calls to 911,” Seward County Sheriff Mike Vance said.

The system helps law enforcement personnel communicate with each other, as well, Vance said. Each entity uses a different radio frequency, but Nixle allows them to communicate with each other. It was used when the sheriff’s office and Nebraska State Patrol were searching for a person running from law enforcement, Vance said.

Weather alerts are added by the county emergency manager, he said.

Chelsea Smith, office manager for the sheriff’s department, said anyone can register and sign up for voice messages, text messages or email alerts. Text 888777 from a cellphone to sign up.

To sign up for more specific alerts, go to nixle.com.

Those who may not be tech savvy or who are uncertain about signing up can call Smith at (402) 643-2359 and she will walk them through sign up.

“It is very easy,” Sharon Dickinson, community liaison to the sheriff, said.

“I would like to see every phone in the county sign up,” Vance said.

He said even kids’ phones should have Nixle so they know what’s going on if they’re not at home or if they’re home alone. A family plan for potential lock-down is also a good idea, he said.

Initially, the system was used for weather alerts, Smith said. It was used to communicate between staff at the sheriff’s department and jail when it came to office closings.

Now, it’s used for all the county employees to notify about closings and other information.

In 2018, Smith received awards for using Nixle. One came from a search for a missing person on Interstate 80. The sheriff’s office, Nebraska State Patrol and sheriff’s posse were able to use the program to tell each group where the other groups were searching.

“That was the only way to communicate with all of them,” Vance said.

“People don’t want to know until something is happening,” Smith said. “It’s a great tool.”

She said law enforcement can attach photos and sketches of missing people, for example. Tips can be sent back to the Nixle system.

The county uses drug fund money to pay for the system, so there is no charge to the county.