Case Study: Bay County, Florida improves targeted resident outreach and evacuation coordination during severe weather with Everbridge Resident Connection

Bay County Improves Resident Outreach During Severe Weather Events with Everbridge Resident Connection

Bay County Emergency Management Division, serving about 175,000 residents across seven cities in northwest Florida, struggled to communicate effectively before, during, and after severe weather. After Hurricane Michael in 2018 knocked out cell towers and landlines, blanket notifications overwhelmed relief sites and reached many people who were not affected; a fast‑moving 2022 wildfire further highlighted the need for rapidly shifting, precisely targeted alerts.

Bay County adopted Everbridge Resident Connection to draw geofenced polygons, send targeted evacuation and safety notices, share shelter/meal locations and a dedicated admin hotline, and coordinate messaging across hospitals, schools, and first responders. The platform’s ease of use and training allowed quick onboarding—even during incidents—and resulted in more accurate outreach, reduced misdirected alerts and overcrowding, and faster, more flexible public safety communications.

Bay County, Florida

Frank E. Lumm

Emergency Management Division Chief