Show All Answers

1. What is the mass notification service?

The West Lake Hills mass notification service allows city officials to create and
rapidly disseminate time-sensitive messages to every telephone number stored
in the notification database. With the service, authorized users can send
thousands of messages in minutes. Only authorized city officials are allowed
access to the system.

2. How does the service work?

Authorized officials record a voice message that is then delivered quickly to
individual phones in the notification database.

3. 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 service.

Examples would include severe weather warnings and updates, hazardous traffic
or road conditions inside the city or affecting local routes, and any other situation
that could impact the safety, property, or welfare of our citizens. The system will
also be used to send important messages regarding city services and events.

4. Does the service replace other systems that have been used to provide

This system is a significant enhancement to existing means of communication
and is supplemental to, not a replacement for, the systems we have used in the
past.

Residents should still call 911 in case of emergency. For non-emergencies,
residents should call (512) 327-1195 to reach the police department and (512)
327-3628 for all other departments. Also, our city web site will continue to
broadcast important announcements and we will continue to send newsletters
and letters to communicate with residents.

5. 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. Initially 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 additional phone numbers and e-mail addresses entered into our database for priority calling. The system accepts up to three phone numbers and two email addresses per contact.

6. May I use a cell phone as my notification database listing?

Yes, cell phones may also be accepted as an alternate or primary phone number
in the database and we encourage you to request that your number be included.

7. What precautions are being taken to protect personal information?

Our service provider is Connect-CTY® of The NTI Group, Inc. (NTI). NTI takes
security and privacy concerns very seriously and does not sell, trade, lease or
loan any data about clients to any third party. From a technical perspective, they
utilize multiple physical and virtual layers of firewalls to maintain data security.
NTI only utilizes secure transmissions with its customers. No confidential
information is ever transmitted between NTI 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. NTI also
retains an external, independent security firm to perform annual security audits.

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

The caller-ID number for calls generated by the service will be the same as the
city office number: (512) 327-3628. In addition, every message will begin with
the same standard announcement: “Hello, this is ______ calling with an
important message from the City of West Lake Hills.” The message content
will follow this standard introduction.

9. Will the 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 city’s
telephone number to pass through. We may conduct periodic tests to assure
that messages are being delivered to numbers in the notification database.

10. 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 the city, 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 go to the city website
or contact our city hall office at (512) 327-3628 to
provide us with that information or to add phone numbers to your address.

11. 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.

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

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

13. How does the 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.

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

Yes. Please go to the city website or contact us at (512)
327-3628 to change the phone number in our notification database.

15. 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.

16. 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?

Repeating or looping of messages happens when the system detects excessive
noise in the background. This can be caused by loud radio/television volumes,
people talking, or busy traffic noise. When you receive the next call, say “hello”
once and turn down the volume of your radio/television or press the mute button
on your telephone to allow full message delivery.