NEW COUNTY MOBILE APP A MUST IN EMERGENCIES

[nadinbrzezinski]

September 28, 2012 (San Diego) – You don’t know where you’ll be when the next wildfire or other major emergency hits San Diego County. But this week’s destructive Shockey Fire is our latest reminder that emergencies do happen here.

Starting today, you can download SD Emergency to your iPhone, iPad or Android phone or tablet to get critical emergency information wherever you are. The app is designed to keep residents and their families informed and safe throughout events likely to affect the region, such as wildfires, or potential threats, such as damaging earthquakes or terrorist events.

“Many people depend on smartphones and tablets to keep them connected to the world, and there’s no more critical time to stay connected than during an emergency,” said County Board of Supervisors Chairman Ron Roberts. “East County residents have already suffered a devastating wildfire this year, and we’re just entering our typical peak fire season. As government enters the world of ‘apps,’ I promised during my State of the County address to make this public safety app our priority. It is a great resource and I urge smartphone users to download SD Emergency today.”

The free app is now available to download via www.sdcountyemergency.com, or in the Apple App Store and Google Play stores.


http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/11215

[bananas]

1. Why does it require access to personal information?

They have no need to access the address book,
and it will discourage people from downloading it.
Also, it's huge.
Hopefully they'll address these problems in a future version.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pyxismobile.CountyofSanDiego.ui.activity

Jim - September 28, 2012 - Droid Bionic

Erase contacts?

Why does this need read/write access to personal information?

Richard - September 28, 2012 - LG Gelato with version 7.3.14.17
This is GREAT!!!

As a long-time former employee of OES, I am extremely proud of the work devoted to developing this app. This should be on every smartphone in San Diego County. GREAT JOB. Just one request-make the app transferable to SD Card. Takes a ton of space, rspecially on phones with limited memory.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. What personal info?

I downloaded on both the iPad and my android. The ONLY thing it asked, like any any apps, is for push notifications.

I love the level of fear, I really do.

[bananas]

3. When you go to install any app on the droid, it first warns you what permissions the app uses

so you can cancel the installation if you don't want it to have those permissions.
This app can access your phone number,
it can access all incoming and outgoing phone numbers,
it can read, write, and erase all the information in your contact list,
it can upload all that personal information anywhere on the net,
it can directly make phone calls without your intervention,
even calls that will cost you money.

edit to add: The permission list for this app is here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pyxismobile.CountyofSanDiego.ui.activity

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Yes, because of the REVERSE 911 that it enables as well

Jaysus...

I read the warnings, and they were not on the IPAD, and not on my Droid, in fact, it is asking for registration for reverse 911 well after INSTALLATION.

Need I mention that reverse 911 is in place already for YOUR LAND LINE? As in STANDARD NOW?

There are days I really wonder.

For the record if you fear authorities can track you through your cell phone, get rid of it now. They can, and they have been able to using GPS for over five years.

[bananas]

5. Maybe your droids been hacked, because permissions are always listed before an app is installed.

You wrote, "I read the warnings, and they were not on the IPAD, and not on my Droid".

If the warnings weren't on your droid, maybe your droid's been hacked.

And they don't need the contact list to make reverse 911 calls.

And reverse 911 calls are made TO the phone, not FROM the phone,
so that doesn't explain the permission to make calls directly FROM the phone.

Thanks for the flip and useless response.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. No it has not, but you see

you NEED TO SIGH UP TO THE REVERSE 911 system when you are using a cell phone.

I am sure you knew that.

As to flip and useless, sorry, paranoia is not the way I prefer to live my life.

If you chose to do that, well, I ain't stoping you. Good bye.