CivicPlus Assists Maui County as Civil Defense Officials Prepare Residents for Tsunami

MANHATTAN, Kan., March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In the hours of uncertainty that preceded tsunami waves hitting the shores of Maui County, Hawaii last week, county information officers and civil defense officials reached out to the government website experts at CivicPlus to help them keep the latest emergency preparedness information flowing on the county's website, http://www.mauicounty.gov.

While county officials scrambled to prepare for the worst, thousands of miles away in land-locked Kansas, CivicPlus employees were available 24/7 to monitor the systems that kept Maui County residents informed of evacuation instructions, road closings and school cancellations. CivicPlus developed, designed and currently hosts the websites of Maui County and more than 700 other counties and cities across the United States.

"County and city websites have become the new public square and, when an emergency looms, the Internet is the first place many residents turn to get the latest information," said Ward Morgan, CEO of CivicPlus. "CivicPlus provides reliable, off-site 'cloud' hosting that gives public officials peace of mind in any situation. Our support team is well-trained and tested through hurricanes, tornadoes and all manner of natural disasters, so when Maui County called in the early hours of the morning we were ready and willing to help wherever we could."

With the immediate danger passed, and damage in Maui County spotty and minor in most cases, the County is now using its website to collect damage assessment information from individuals and businesses throughout the area.

"We were relieved that the residents of Maui County were spared the worst of the tsunami but our hearts and prayers go out to the citizens of Japan who continue to suffer from the consequences of this devastating earthquake," Morgan said. "That's why were making a $1,000 donation to the American Red Cross International Relief Fund and pledging to match the individual gifts made by CivicPlus employees to that fund."

Sharing vital information in emergencies is just one of the benefits of Maui County's website. County residents may complete many kinds of online transactions at their convenience including viewing and applying for county jobs, renewing motor vehicle registrations, applying for permits, and paying tax and water bills.

CivicPlus encourages concerned citizens to make online donations to the Red Cross International Relief Fund by visiting http://bit.ly/eIXyie. For more information about CivicPlus hosting and disaster recovery assistance visit http://www.civicplus.com or call 888-228-2233.

About CivicPlus

CivicPlus develops, designs and manages award-winning community engagement systems that use advanced technology to connect people with government in new, more efficient ways. Founded in 2001 in Manhattan, KS, CivicPlus serves more than 700 cities and counties throughout North America with cost-effective website solutions for communities of all sizes. The innovative CivicPlus Government Content Management System™ includes more than 60 customizable, integrated eGovernment applications including Citizen Request Tracker™, MuniMobile™, Facebook and economic development tools. Over the past two years, CivicPlus has won more than 150 website awards, including the Center for Digital Government's Best Fit Integrator Award of 2009 for delivering extraordinary digital solutions to public IT projects.

This press release was issued through eReleases(R).  For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE CivicPlus