How to sign up for emergency alerts in 12 Northern California counties
OAKLAND, Calif. - Every county in Northern California has its own emergency alert system. And even though wildfires, earthquakes and floods know no jurisdictional bounds, that's how practices, procedures and warning platforms are setup. If you live in one county, go to school in another, and work in another you could be missing critical alerts. Below are ways to sign up and be prepared. Even if you are signed-up, 2 Investigates found there's no guarentee you'll get warned.
ALAMEDA COUNTY
Get alerted about emergencies and other important community information by signing up for the AC Alert System. This system will provide residents with critical information quickly in a variety of situations, such as earthquakes, fires, severe weather, unexpected road closures, missing persons and evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods.
Residents can receive notifications for their home city, work location, and other sites of their choice on their home, mobile or business phones as well as by email and text message.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
In the event of an immediate threat to a person’s life, health, or safety, the county’s Community Warning System will be activated. Depending on the urgency, severity, and certainty of the threat, the county may send out alerts in a variety of ways, including activating sirens in special safety zones. It may also use the Emergency Alert System on television and radio (KCBS 740 AM) and send alerts out via Facebook and Twitter. It may also use the Telephone Emergency Notification System and cell phone alerts
LAKE COUNTY
The Lake County Emergency Alert Program provides alerts about emergencies and other important community news. The system provides residents with alerts about severe weather, unexpected road closures, wildfires and evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods.
MARIN COUNTY
The Marin County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) uses the AlertMarin Emergency Notification System to deliver incident-specific information or potentially life-saving instruction to the precise geographic areas affected. Emergency situations may include: flooding, wildfires, and subsequent evacuations; public safety incidents including crimes that affect a neighborhood; post-disaster information about shelters, transportation, or supplies.
Some communities in Marin County use sirens or horns to alert residents and visitors to a dangerous situation. The siren/horn activation is usually followed up by information from AlertMarin or by broadcasting a pre-recorded message on a local radio station.
MENDOCINO COUNTY
MendoAlert is the primary means of notification used by Mendocino County. The system allows registered users to receive emergency alerts and notifications by text message, phone calls and email. Users can register multiple communications methods, such as home phone, cell phone, and email addresses.
NAPA COUNTY
Residents can register for Nixle alerts to their email or cell phones by texting their zip code to 888777. People can also listen to KVON radio (1440 a.m.) for emergency updates; call 707-299-1595 for Napa County road conditions (recorded information, for use when EOC is activated only); or call 707-299-1593 for Napa County emergency public information (recorded information, for use when EOC is activated only).
SAN FRANCISCO
AlertSF is a text-based notification system for San Francisco's residents and visitors. AlertSF will send alerts regarding emergencies disrupting vehicular/pedestrian traffic, watches and warnings for tsunamis, flooding, and citywide post-disaster information to registered wireless devices and email accounts.
The City’s Outdoor Public Warning System alerts residents and visitors to San Francisco about possible danger. Specific emergency announcements can be broadcast over any one (or more) of the 119 sirens that are located on poles and on top of buildings throughout all neighborhoods in San Francisco, Treasure Island, and Yerba Buena.
SAN MATEO COUNTY
The San Mateo County Emergency Alert System is an alert notification system used to immediately contact residents during urgent or emergency situations with useful information and updates by sending text messages to emails and cell phones.
SANTA CLARA
AlertSCC is a free, easy, and confidential way for anyone who lives or works in Santa Clara County to get emergency warnings about flooding, wildfires and subsequent evacuations; public safety incidents, including crimes, that immediately affect neighborhoods; and post-disaster information about shelters, transportation, or supplies. Alerts are sent directly to cell phones, mobile devices, email, and landlines.
SANTA CRUZ
Residents can sign up for a text message alert system that provides emergency notification and critical community alerts.
SOLANO COUNTY
The Solano County Office of Emergency Services provides information about floods, earthquakes, major fires, storms, hazardous material incidents, aircraft and major car accidents.
SONOMA COUNTY
SoCoAlert Sonoma County allows first responders to notify residents about evacuation notifications, shelter-in-place orders, tsunami warnings, and flood warnings.