As the City of Philadelphia has been dealing with daily updates about the spread of COVID-19, it’s been using its text alert system, managed by the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), to release ongoing, updated information to the public.

The City’s service, called ReadyPhiladelphia, was chosen for its ability to get emergency information to both internal partners in the city and external enrollees in the public, said Katie Howlin, the alert and warning coordinator for the OEM.

ReadyPhiladelphia is a product of Everbridge, an emergency communications services company for which enrollees can opt in either through text or by customizing email or text alerts for 14 categories of interest online for free. (Currently, folks can text COVIDPHL to 888-777 to enroll in updates about the virus.)

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