Messaging  |  2020-06-11

Volta to Offer First Responders a Flexible Platform to Amplify Public Safety Broadcasts

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

The Volta Response System was first deployed in Huntington Beach, Calif., where Volta's team worked closely with city officials and first responders to kick-off the program.

Volta, the industry leader in innovative electric vehicle charging networks, today announced a new service for displaying dynamic safety alerts, the Volta Response System, offering city officials and first responders a flexible platform to amplify public safety broadcasts.

The Volta Response System was first deployed in Huntington Beach, Calif., where Volta's team worked closely with city officials and first responders to kick-off the program. It was launched quickly and at no cost to taxpayers to help them educate their community about COVID-19. The system is designed to be turnkey, and easily activated at the request of first responders and health officials.

"From our first email to Volta, to getting our signage on the stations and in front of difficult to reach populations, it was so simple," said Firefighter Eric Blaska, Paramedic/Public Information Officer, Huntington Beach. "One of the neat things about Volta is it survives the elements and looks beautiful 24/7."

Volta operates over 1,100 free, sponsor-supported, electric vehicle charging stations that provide clean energy to the community. Collectively, they form a nationwide media network that generates millions of daily impressions outside of stores such as Walgreens, Safeway and Target.

"I asked our team for ideas on how we could help flatten the curve, and within days we had the Volta Response System up and running," said Scott Mercer, Founder and CEO, Volta Charging. "80 percent of Volta's charging stations are by an essential service, which means they are perfect for distributing critical information to the community-at-large, reaching residents where they stock up on food, medicine and supplies," he added.

This public-private partnership offers officials a path to expanding critical messaging capabilities. Beyond educating communities about COVID-19, the Volta Response System is designed to increase communication avenues for local officials in many emergency situations, such as wildfires, hurricanes and missing persons.

Volta's charging stations are positioned for maximum visibility in high-traffic locations and feature high-resolution digital displays. Located by essential services in hundreds of municipalities across the US, Volta's highly visible stations are uniquely positioned to disseminate critical information to hard-to-reach and vulnerable community members.