San Mateo County opened a new communication channel with its community through the Simplicity phone application.
Residents will be able to learn about important events immediately and directly on their smart phone with this free app that does not require users to create an account to receive updates from San Mateo County.
They simply download the Simplicity app from the Google Play or Apple app store, choose their city of residence, notification preferences and various topics, including health updates, public safety information, schools and upcoming local events.
"It's great that San Mateo County has one more tool to reach our residents with important news, events and even emergency alerts. I invite all residents to sign up through their city and follow the county so we can all be better connected through one reliable channel," said County Administrator Mike Callagy.
Simplicity was first used by Bay Area cities last year, following a partnership with Menlo Park in which it adopted the app to improve its direct communication with residents. It was followed by other cities including Burlingame, Colma, Foster City, Hillsborough, Atherton and East Palo Alto.
"It's incredibly rewarding to see residents become closer and stronger simply by receiving timely information about what's happening in their communities," said Simplicity co-founder Juraj Gago.
Upcoming Simplicity features include Spanish translation, a pet directory and community funds.
Using the pet directory, for example, residents can upload the names and photos of their pets and notify the community in case they get lost or find a stray.
To download the application, simply search for it in the virtual store of your cell phone or directly at https://simplicity.app.link/smc.
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