*****update  02/16/2012  ****** 

Due to a software problem with Blackboard Connect, addresses in rural areas are not being recognized by this system.  City addresses are fine.  We are working with the company to resolve this ASAP! Please check back soon.

- Sheriff Jered Shofner  

Announcement

Sheriff Jered Shofner is pleased to join other emergency service providers to announce the launch of the Blackboard Connect service, our new county-wide resident notification system. With this service, county leaders can send personalized voice messages to residents and businesses within minutes with specific information about events effecting life and safety of county residents. The Connect service will be used to supplement our current communication plans and augment public safety/first responder services.

Please accept our invitation to participate in this great service. We know that your personal information is important, and rest assured that we will not share it with anyone. If you have NOT already received a test phone call from us, or you would like to provide additional contact information, click the Blackboard Connect image to sign up.

FAQs

What is the Connect-CTY service?
The Connect-CTY service allows authorized civic leaders to create and rapidly disseminate time-sensitive messages to every telephone number stored in the notification database. With the Connect-CTY service, authorized users can send thousands of messages in minutes. Only authorized officials are allowed access to the system.

How does the service work?
Authorized officials record a voice message that is then delivered quickly to individual phones in the notification database.

What types of messages will be sent using the service?
Any message regarding the safety or welfare of our community would be disseminated using the Connect-CTY service.

Examples would include crime alerts, hazardous material incidents, water boil orders, and any other event that poses a threat to public safety.

Is my telephone number included in the notification database?
It is our intention and hope that every residence and commercial facility in our community be included in the notification database. For businesses, we only store one main phone number. For residents, we may have more than one number that belongs to you in the database. Additionally, you may request to have a secondary number be entered into our database for priority calling.

May I use a cell phone as my notification database listing?
Yes, we can accept cell phones as secondary phone numbers in the database and encourage you to request that your number be included.

What precautions are being taken to protect personal information?
Connect-CTY® is a service of Blackboard Connect Inc. (BCI). BCI takes security and privacy concerns very seriously and does not sell, trade, lease or loan any data about our clients to any third party. From a technical perspective, we utilize multiple physical and virtual layers of firewalls to maintain data security. BCI only utilizes secure transmissions with its customers. No confidential information is ever transmitted between BCI and its customers using e-mail or FTP, but rather always utilizes either a VPN tunnel or SSL. Data is hosted in state-of-the-art facilities which require photo identification, thumb-print recognition, keyed access, and are manned 24/7 with full-security personnel. All data is encrypted prior to being placed on tape for offsite storage. BCI also retains an external, independent security firm to perform annual security audits.

Will there be a way to positively identify incoming calls which are made by the town using the system?

The caller-ID number for calls generated by the Connect-CTY service will be a local phone number (217) 935-3196. In addition, every message will begin with the same standard announcement: "Hello, this is Sheriff Jered Shofner calling with an important message" . The message content will follow this standard introduction.

Will the Connect-CTY service work if I have a call screening system on my phone?

There are several varieties of call screening devices which use differing protocols for screening. In general, the system has been found to work with these devices; but, some may require some type of pre-programming to allow our town’s telephone number to pass through. We may conduct periodic test to assure that messages are being delivered to numbers in the notification database.

If I am a non-resident home or condominium owner, what phone should be listed in the notification database?

 
For non-residents or owners who reside out of our county, you may provide an additional phone number to be included in our database to contact during certain situations. In general, calls are sent to the primary number only, but we also have the ability to call multiple numbers for each resident or business when requested by the resident or business. Please contact DewITT County Central Communications at 217-935-3196 to provide us with that information.

If I have provided more than one phone number, when will they be called?

 
Should a situation arise that requires us to contact you at multiple phone numbers, we can activate the system to place a simultaneous call to all of your numbers. In most cases, we will be sending calls only to one phone number.

My primary phone or my second listing is a cell phone with a non-local area code. Will the Connect-CTY service call numbers outside the area?

 
Yes. The area code does not impact whether or not a call is made.

How does the Connect-CTY system respond to busy signals or no-answer situations?

 
For busy signals, the call will be repeated several times in an attempt to reach you. The same is true for No-answer and Call-waiting. If the phone is answered by a message recorder, the message will be left on the answering device. If, after several attempts the call does not successfully go through, the system will stop attempting to call.

I am receiving town notification calls at my fax or my secondary phone line. Can I switch to have the system call my primary phone number?

 
Yes. Please contact us at (217)-935-3196 to change the phone number in our notification database.

I was not able to listen to the entire call. Is there a way to repeat the message?

Yes, at the end of the message playback, simply press the star (*) key on your telephone to have it repeated in its entirety.

I answer the phone but the “Hello” message repeats. It then hangs up, calls back, and the same thing happens again. How can I hear the entire message?