Frequently Asked Questions

Why do we need the Fairfield County Business Alert System?
Experience gained through actual events and emergency preparedness exercises has taught the Business Council of Fairfield County that communication during a crisis incident is a critical issue.   With 85% of the critical infrastructure either owned or operated by the private sector, their actions must mesh with those of the government sector.  The private sector plays a key role, in partnership with the government sector, in disaster preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. 

Where did this idea come from?
As a result of September 11, 2001, government and business leaders have taken important steps to improve homeland security and plan effectively for various crisis situations.  In early 2002, The Business Council of Fairfield County formed the Security & Crisis Management Forum. Together, representatives from the corporate community and public sector regularly dialogue on issues of security and emergency preparedness. The committee has been critical in providing opportunities to develop workable solutions with the public sector on how to manage a potential incident.

Who can participate in the Fairfield County Business Alert System?
Businesses located in Fairfield County and governmental entities may participate in the program.  Businesses can enroll up to two employees to receive information.  The City of Stamford is the first community in Fairfield County to participate in this service.

How does my organization join?
If your business or government agency would like to become part of the Fairfield County Business Alert System, contact Tanya Court, Director, Public Policy and Programs for The Business Council of Fairfield County at 203-705-0668 or tcourt@businessfairfield.com.  Businesses will be able to enroll up to two employees to receive messages from the Fairfield County Business Alert.  You must have a legitimate business email address to enroll in the Fairfield County Business Alert.  We anticipate holding periodic drills so that individuals become familiar with the system.

How do I decide which employees from my company should receive messages from the Fairfield County Business Alert? 
Individuals selected should have the authority and ability to take action based on the information they receive.  Designees should fall within the following criteria:

• Key decision maker who normally responds to emergency situations on behalf of his or her agency or company and has the authority to make decisions on behalf of the agency/company.

• Experienced individual who understands how different information and warnings can impact the respective parts of their agency/company, its services and the community as a whole.

• Someone with a pre-designated role in the company/agency’s crisis management, business continuity and/or disaster recovery plans.

• Someone who is trusted to maintain appropriate level of confidentiality where required.

• An individual who can be available for emergencies and who has appropriate support and back up by other individuals in their respective organizations.

• Someone well positioned to understand the challenges, issues and needs that impact their agency or company’s functions, employees, resources and customers before, during, and following an incident.

The areas of responsibility that should be invited to join are:

• Business Continuity

• Emergency Preparedness

• Risk Management

• Loss Prevention

• Facilities

• Operations

• Security

How is the alert disseminated and received by participants?
Alerts will be issued using the technology of Send Word Now, a third party vendor specializing in efficient message transmission to different platforms and devices.

Tell me about Send Word Now?
Fairfield County Business Alert utilizes the technology of New York City based Send Word Now. This is a service that effectively manages two-way communication during time-critical situations with a redundant, reliable, secure network and geographically distributed infrastructure. Messages can be sent through the Internet, from an email or a live operator.  In minutes, registered users will receive a message through multiple phone numbers, email addresses, text messaging devices, and pagers simultaneously.

Who can activate an alert?
Participating government officials and designated leaders of the Business Council of Fairfield County’s Security Steering Committee can activate the Fairfield County Business Alert System.  The system can be activated with a simple click of a mouse or phone call. 

When would the system be activated?
It is difficult to predict when or how often The Fairfield County Alert System would be activated.  Primarily, activation would occur for any out of the ordinary event that threatens the life and safety of citizens, facilities, or other vital interests.  The key is we will be better prepared by having a system in place to rapidly share information with each other. 

How is the Fairfield County Business Alert System funded?
The Fairfield County Business Alert is funded through the generosity of PricewaterhouseCoopers and in-kind contributions of The Business Council of Fairfield County and Send Word Now.

Additional items to consider:

• Consider who should receive messages and what action they should take.

• Have a crisis management/business continuity plan, and regularly practice.

• Know your partners in disaster preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation.  Homeland Security is a shared responsibility requiring the coordinated action on the part of the Federal, State, and Local government; private sector and the public at large.  Don’t be shy about involving yourself in public sector readiness exercises and drills.

• Enroll in the Stamford Corporate Emergency Access System, a program designed to give critical employees access to their worksites during an emergency.  To enroll, log onto www.ceas.org.

For more information about the CEAS program, visit www.ceas.com or contact Tanya Court, Director of Public Policy, The Business Council of Fairfield County at 203-705-0668.