LANCASTER TWP — Starting in 2020, the township will roll out a new notification system.

With SavvyCitizen, which will officially launch Jan. 1, Lancaster aims to inform residents of everything from community events and road closures to reminders and emergency alerts via cellphone notifications, text messages and emails.

The company said the breadth of topics SavvyCitizen covers distinguishes it from other services such as Swift911, used by local communities including Evans City, or CodeRED, utilized by Butler County.

“Most of these systems that are out there handle one type of notification. A lot of them are geared for emergency alerts,” Rich McConnell, business development manager, said. “Our system can handle that information, but we can handle a lot more as well.”

Benjamin Kramer, the township's manager, said the notification system, which will cost the township $1,089 per year, provides the municipality with the ability to reach subscribed residents with ease.

“The user can choose to receive text-based notifications, email or push notifications through their phone carrier,” Kramer said. “Further, Savvy has a geographical component to it in that the township is able to manage the outbound notifications to ensure that they are targeted, deliberate and informative.”

The ability to send push notifications or texts to inform residents is one of the driving points of SavvyCitizen, McConnell said.

“Having a solution to get information out to residents via a device that they have in their pockets is very powerful,” he said.

While the notification system is still three weeks from the official launch, residents have the opportunity to sign up in December while the township explores the potential options for communication.

McConnell said he expects between 5 to 15 percent of Lancaster residents to sign up for the program in its inaugural year.