Question:

Is it okay for an agency to send a text message in the middle of the night?

How frequently should an agency send notifications?

Answer:

Residents have the ability to set "blackout" times for phone notifications, during which any phone numbers associated with their account will not be contacted when your agency sends a notification. Residents will typically schedule their blackout times for overnight hours. However, an emergency can occur at any time, day or night, so a truly urgent alert should be sent regardless of the time of day.

Examples of urgent alerts are:

• severe weather
• active shooting
• evacuation

On average, most agencies send one to three notifications a week which serve to keep residents informed, promote positive community dialogue, and increase enrollment. Agency activity varies depending on its role in the community, and if an event occurs that your residents would prefer being notified of, providing any relevant information pertaining to it would be welcomed.