The same system used to send you emergency alerts in Door and Kewaunee counties could have also given you valuable information if you were in New Orleans for New Year's festivities.
In the early morning hours on Wednesday, at least 15 people were killed, and dozens were injured when 42-year-old suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove his pick-up truck down Bourbon Street in the city's French Quarter as revelers were celebrating the coming of 2025. The FBI called it an act of terrorism as it investigates possible connections to ISIS and a truck explosion in front of a hotel in Texas. As the incident continues to play itself out, people connected to NOLA Ready, which uses the same Smart911 platform as Door and Kewaunee counties, are getting updates on everything from building and street closures to a new kickoff time for the Sugar Bowl.
Door County has not had to activate its system on a large scale since it switched to the Smart911 platform in September. Door County Emergency Management Director Jeb Saelens says the New Orleans tragedy shows the importance of having emergency information at your fingertips.
Saelens says that approximately 16,000 people are signed up for Door County Ready, and he hopes always to improve that number. He adds that downloading the Smart911 app will give you Door County emergency updates and information from other communities based on your locations.
