NODS manager says challenges related to downloading Disaster App are related to type and age of phones

NODS manager says challenges related to downloading Disaster
App are related to type and age of phones
 
Ahead of this year’s Caribe Wave Tsunami Exercise, the National
Office of Disaster Services (NODS) is hoping that at least some of the
kinks with its Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) app would be
worked out, so that more persons will be able to receive the life-
saving alert.

The annual drill is set for this Thursday, March 21, at 11 a.m., and,
usually, an alert signaling the start of the exercise would be sent via
the CAP app.
 
NODS, for some time, has been encouraging residents to download
the app on their smartphones; however, many people complain that
they are unable to get the application downloaded.
 
NODS Preparedness and Response Manager Anderson Tuitt says the
agency does not directly deal with the protocol, but the issue is
being investigated.
 
Tuitt says the difficulty has to do with technology, in terms of the
types of phones that residents use.
 
What has been observed, he says, is that the older-model phones are
easily able to download the app, while there is a challenge with
some of the newest models, in particular Android phones.
 
However, he says that everything is being done to rectify this issue,
so that more people are able to download the app – as it will prove
vital in case of a natural disaster.
 
According to Tuitt, there has been a lot of interest in the app, as
people want to be alerted to any impending danger in order for
them to get to safer ground.
 
In spite of this challenge, NODS is still admonishing those who are
able to download the application to do so – and to do so as soon as
possible.
 

He says it is not only an alert about natural disasters, but will
provide the public with information that officials believe they need
to know.

That was the National Office of Disaster Services Preparedness
and Response Manager, Anderson Tuitt.