CDW launches mass notification tool kit

VERNON HILLS - CDW Government Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of CDW Corp., launched its Mass Notification Toolkit, a Web site providing practical guidance on implementation, marketing and signup challenges associated with the deployment of mass notification systems. The Mass Notification Toolkit builds upon CDW's 2008 study, "This is a Test - This is Only a Test: Updating America's Emergency Alert Infrastructure," which found that one-third of U.S. residents have no knowledge of or experience with their local emergency notification program. While wireless subscribers in America are at an all-time high and 1 billion text messages are sent by U.S. residents daily, local governments still relay information largely via television and radio, which require access to electricity that may not be available during emergencies.