‘Ask Orange County’ feature now available on Amazon’s Alexa

Amazon Alexa users in Orange County can now get connected to local government services with the help of their virtual assistant.

The “Ask Orange County Government” app/skill is now available through Amazon’s Alexa. The new feature is an extension of the county’s 311 service, which helps residents connect with local government services. Orange County is now the first Florida county to incorporate the virtual assistant.

“Incorporating this technology provides people with an easy and convenient way to ask questions about the County and access County-related information,” said Enterprise IT Security Manager Peter Miller. “There are thousands of questions already loaded on Alexa, and they’re based on the most frequently asked questions that we have received through our 311 service.”

Residents interested in using the “Ask Orange County” feature through Alexa can activate it by stating to the virtual assistant, “Alexa, enable the Orange County Government Skill.” Once enabled, users can begin asking Orange County government-related questions with the phrase, “Alexa, Ask Orange County.” Users can ask Alexa thousands of different questions and receive informative responses, and the county plans to continue adding more knowledge to the virtual assistant in the future.

“The amount of information Alexa can provide is extensive,” Miller said. “From how to get a library card to how to get rid of mosquitos, or from where to place trash bags to how to contact the Florida Forest Service, we have it covered and are continuing to add additional questions.”