Local Alerts Facebook tool put into use by Midvale City

MIDVALE, Utah — The first city in Utah to use the Local Alerts Facebook tool, Midvale, has already used it to immediately inform and update residents about issues that directly impact their daily lives.

Midvale used the Local Alerts Facebook tool last year to notify residents of I-15 bridge construction, offering an alternate route to avoid the area.

The use of the tool was received well by the community and generated some positive feedback.

How to get Local Alerts from Facebook

Facebook intends its Local Alerts tool to be used to keep people informed and up-to-date in the event of any potential emergencies. If you live in Midvale and follow Midvale City Government on Facebook, you will receive the news alerts.

Midvale City Communications Director Laura Magness told Jeff Caplan’s Afternoon News on KSL NewsRadio the city won’t abuse the system.

“I have been very very careful in how we use it because we want the residents to know if we send a local alert out it’s something they definitely need to be paying attention to,” Magness said.

Coming soon to a city near you

She said the Local Alerts Facebook tool is an excellent addition to the city’s communications strategy.

“We’re always thinking about how we can communicate important messages to residents more effectively and Facebook’s Local Alerts tool is one that has proven to be effective for Midvale residents. We’re glad to have this tool be a part of our communications toolkit,” she said.

The tool allows government, law enforcement, and emergency response Facebook pages like Midvale’s to mark a post as a “Local Alert.” It is still in a pilot period and will be extended to eligible local government pages in the coming months.

 

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