Nixle's free technology provides critical real-time alerts on H1N1 Flu

Aug 21 2009

Nixle, a secure community information tool, which has been rapidly adopted by over 1,800 law enforcement agencies across the country, is now offering its free technology to hospitals and schools to provide critical real-time alerts on the H1N1 Flu.

With more than 55 million children set to go back to the classroom in a matter of weeks, H1N1 Flu continues to be a top concern for parents, school administrators and healthcare professionals across the country, all of whom are gearing up for a virulent flu season. Nixle will deliver hyper-local H1N1 Flu updates over cell phone, email and web via a trusted, verified network.

David Mitchell, director of executive programs at Johns Hopkins University and the designated crisis manager for the Johns Hopkins School of Education, said that providing accurate information to citizens will be critical in preventing panic in the event of an H1N1 outbreak.

"Nixle provides accurate and trusted information vital to informing the public and mitigating panic regarding H1N1," said Mitchell. "It enhances the ability of medical professionals and school administrators to get certified and timely information into the hands of users."

"This is a natural extension of our services and we believe our technology is the best solution to transform how hospitals, clinics and schools reach their constituents -- especially in times of crisis and uncertainty," said Nixle Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Craig Mitnick. "With the potential for a major H1N1 outbreak across the country, it's essential that the public receive real-time information from an authenticated source. Unlike social networking services, Nixle only delivers credible and verified messages from authorized users over a trusted network."

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) currently use a variety of online technology channels to communicate information on H1N1. In turn, county health agencies and medical clinics have attempted to use existing social networking applications to disseminate Swine Flu information. According to Mitnick, many of these agencies have been transitioning over to Nixle's secure platform given recent hackers, imposters and system failures.

Mitnick said that Nixle is not a social networking platform, but new technology founded on a secure and identity certified service. Through its partnership with Nlets (the International Justice and Public Safety Network) all Nixle servers are located in the most secure facility, ensuring the service is free of security related issues or system failures. Additionally, given Nixle's strategic relationship with VeriSign, Inc., according to Mitnick, Nixle provides a reliable and dedicated text messaging platform in the United States.

Nixle launched its service in March and is currently used in 49 states and major cities including Chicago, Baltimore, Dallas, Fort Worth, Scottsdale, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Philadelphia. In addition to law enforcement agencies and municipalities, Nixle's technology is also currently being explored in international markets for public safety and in preparation for Swine Flu.