City switches to new emergency info app

A new emergency messaging app is replacing Nixle.

The city announced the HNL Info app at a news conference Thursday.

HNL Info was developed by the city’s Department of Information Technology and will take the place of the notification service Nixle, which since 2010 has been used to alert the public about severe weather, traffic incidents and other emergencies.

Messages will be delivered under the new app via push notification, email or text.

The city will discontinue use of Nixle after Wednesday.

In addition to emergency and traffic notifications, HNL Info will provide users with information such as driver’s license and satellite city hall locations. The app can be customized by creating an account and subscribing to topics of interest.

The free Nixle Community Information Service has been providing notification of emergencies to 45,000 Oahu residents via text messaging and email. Impending charges, however, prompted city officials to look into options that would reduce costs and manage expenses, Mayor Kirk Caldwell said.

Text messaging through HNL Info will cost more to send than push notification and emails, so city officials are encouraging subscribers to use the less costly push and email options. Installation of the mobile phone app is required for push notifications.

To subscribe to HNL Info, residents are asked to download the HNL Info app to their smartphones or sign up online at hnl.info. The app is free, but mobile carrier and data rates might apply.