As parents and kids gear up for the fall sports season, Queen Anne’s County Parks and Recreation Department is taking advantage of a digital app to alert park users to field closures and openings.
“We will now be utilizing an app called Rainout Line for all field and gym status updates,” said James Miller, Recreation League Coordinator. View the First Time Users Guide “This new technology provides users with instant alerts on field/gym status changes through text and/or email, as well as receiving notifications via the mobile app. We believe this new method will keep our users readily informed, which will lead to a better overall experience for our community. This is just one of the many ways we are trying to move forward and incorporate technology where appropriate.
Mobile users can download the Rainout Line app from either the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and choose whether to receive field status alters via text or email. So as not to inundate users, notifications will only be sent when there is a change in status. For example, if it is sunny and dry for two weeks, users will only get a status update when a field or fields are closed.
The department is also changing its policy and is no longer allowing fields to be open at “coaches’ discretion.” The field will be either open or closed to play.
However, another benefit of the Rainout Line app is that parks staff have the ability to look at a park they manage and if, for example, two ball fields are fit for play and a third is too wet, they can alert users to that information on a field by field basis.
Desktop users can also go to www.rainoutline.com and search by county name. Results shown are like a traffic light, green for open, red for closed and yellow means there is a message with further instructions.
Those without access to the internet can call in for the information at 410-202-0705 and listen to the phone menu and enter the number that is given for your field.
By mid-September, field status will no longer be updated on Facebook.
“We have a First-Time User Guide for Rainout Line with step by step instructions at qac.org. Just type the word Rainout in the search box,” said Miller.
Those needing assistance are encouraged to call Miller at 410.758.0835, Ext. 2536 or email him at jmiller@qac.org.