ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Buncombe County is transitioning to a new emergency notification system following a cyberattack on its previous provider, county officials said.
The county is moving to the Rave mass notification system to improve its ability to send timely emergency alerts and public safety messages to residents. As part of the transition, officials recently updated contact data to transfer residents who had registered for BC Alerts into the new system using information from the former provider, CodeRED.
During that process, an automated notification may have been sent to duplicate entries in the old database, resulting in some residents receiving the same message more than once or receiving a message with an incorrect contact name, officials said.
County officials emphasized that the notifications were legitimate and originated from an authorized provider.
Buncombe County is now reviewing the data to remove duplicate entries and ensure alerts are delivered accurately. Additional details about the Rave system, including how residents can sign up to receive alerts, will be shared soon on the county’s website and through official communication channels.