GEMA/Homeland Security and the Georgia Department of Public Health launched the Ready Georgia mobile app. The free app, available for both iPhone and Android devices, supports Ready Georgia’s mission to encourage residents to prepare, plan and stay informed for emergencies. From up-to-the-minute weather and hazard alerts based on a user’s location, to customizable emergency preparedness checklists, the app combines a robust set of features not previously available in one mobile application.

We are very excited about this new initiative as Georgia is one of the first states to provide this type of service to the growing smartphone market. With the number of smartphone users expected to grow 55 percent in 2011, the mobile app offers an opportunity to engage a large number of residents in a new way.

We’d like to thank several other agencies and organizations that are providing data feeds for the app, including: Red Cross, Georgia DOT, FEMA and The National Weather Service.

Key App Features
•        A customizable Ready Profile featuring a checklist of emergency supplies and a family disaster plan.
•        Live weather, disaster and public health alerts delivered based on your location.
•        Flooding threat assessment based upon location and stream gauges.
•        Alerts include info on what to do in the event of each emergency.
•        Map of nearby active Red Cross shelters during emergencies.
•        Flood risk levels based on current location.
•        Map of historic tornado strikes in Georgia, plus list of all major disasters to strike current location.
•        Information on how to prepare for different threats and local contacts to help.
•        Hazard trivia for every day of the year.

More information: http://www.ready.ga.gov/mobileapp