Know Your Alerts and Warnings
Receiving timely information about weather conditions or other emergency events can make all the difference in knowing when to take action to be safe. Make sure you can receive alerts and warnings quickly through several different technologies no matter where you are–at home, at school, at work, or in the community.
For those with access and functional needs, many messages are TTY/TDD compatible and many devices have accessible accommodations. Be sure to share this information with your family, friends, and colleagues.
Opt-In/Sign-Up Text and Email Systems
Many local communities have opt-in public alert and warning systems. An opt-in system means you must sign up to receive the alert. Once you have signed up, officials in your area can send you text or email messages about local emergencies. Most opt-in systems allow subscribers to choose the devices that receive alerts as well as the types of alerts.
To find out what alerts are available in your area, you can do an Internet search with your town, city, or county name and the word “alerts”; you can go to the website for your local emergency management or public safety office; or you can contact these offices by telephone.
Outdoor Warning Sirens
Outdoor warning sirens serve to warn citizens who are outdoors that there is a hazardous weather watch or warning, a hazardous chemical spill, or a Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program incident. If you hear an outdoor warning siren, you should seek shelter inside immediately. Once inside, you should turn on a television or radio to find out further information.
The system is not designed to be heard inside building walls. For indoor alerting, it is strongly recommended you have a NOAA all-hazards weather radio.
Weather Radio Receiver
The NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards, or NWR, is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting forecasts, warnings, and emergency information 24 hours a day. It is a comprehensive weather and emergency information service available to the public. All-hazards messages include weather events, technological incidents like chemical spills, AMBER alerts, and national emergencies. NWR also broadcasts EAS notices.
Wireless Emergency Alerts
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) are emergency messages, usually less than 90 characters, that are sent directly to your phone by authorized government alerting authorities through your mobile carrier. Traditional warning methods such as television, radio, and outdoor sirens don’t reach everyone. Wireless Emergency Alerts allow emergency officials an additional way to send warnings directly to those in affected areas.
Government partners include local and state public safety agencies, FEMA, the FCC, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Weather Service.
Emergency Alert System
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a national public warning system operated through radio and TV broadcasters, cable TV, wireless cable systems, satellite and wireline operators. Messages can interrupt radio and television to broadcast emergency alert information. Emergency message audio/text may be repeated twice, then regular programming continues.
FEMA APP
The FEMA App allows you to receive real-time weather and emergency alerts, send notifications to loved ones, locate emergency shelters in your area, get preparedness strategies and more.
Stay updated with severe weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations across the U.S.; learn how to stay safe before, during, and after over 20 types of hazards; save a custom list of the items in your family’s emergency kit; and locate and receive driving directions to open shelters and disaster recovery centers. The FEMA App is also available in Spanish. Download the app to your mobile device or smartphone free on iTunes or Google Play. Learn more at www.fema.gov/mobile-app.
Clark County
Clark County has outdoor warning sirens that are not funded by CSEPP but are used during a CSEPP incident.
When you hear the sirens… take shelter on the lowest level in the interior of a strong structure away from windows.
Turn on Radio or TV for More Information
Sirens Sound When…
• Severe Weather Warnings (severe thunderstorms &/or tornado)
• Hazardous Material Release
• Chemical Agent Release at Bluegrass Army Depot
• Other Community Emergencies
DO NOT! Call 911 unless you have and emergency
Call (859) 745-7415 for more information or visitWinchester Clark County CSEPP
Clark County Opt-In Notifications
To receive community alerts and notifications for weather, traffic, emergency incidents, public service announcements, and other special community events from Winchester/Clark County 911 sign up at Smart911.com.
Estill County
Estill County has outdoor warning sirens that are at least partially funded by CSEPP and are used during a CSEPP incident.
Estill County tests the sirens on the second Wednesday of every month. They are only sounded for Tornado WARNING or a CSEPP Incident.
Estill County Opt-In Notifications
Estill County EMA/CSEPP has partnered with Everbridge to bring you alert and notification services. Registering will allow you to maintain your contact information and to ensure that you receive alerts for the locations in Estill County that are important to you. Improved weather alerting allows you to receive email, text, and phone alerts for weather events. Simply go to the following link to register your alert information, devices, and locations.
Estill County Alert and Notification Portal
If you are an Android or iOS user you can also download the Mobile Member Application which allows you to receive alerts via the app as well as communicate directly from the app to us. In the event of an emergency you can actually send information back to us such as pictures of damage, your status, your location, or any other information you feel is important. You must first register an account at the notification portal in order to use the Mobile Member App.
On Android in the Play Store or in the iOS App Store search for “Everbridge Mobile Member”
Install the application and sign in with the login credentials you created at the notification portal and you will automatically receive the alerts you signed up for at the locations you selected.
Fayette County
Fayette County has outdoor warning sirens that are at least partially funded by CSEPP and are used during a CSEPP incident.
The Lexington-Fayette County Division of Emergency Management (DEM) is a division of Lexington-Fayette County’s Department of Public Safety. Their BeReadyLexington.com website has specific pages dedicated to:
• Outdoor Warning Sirens: includes a map of all 31 outdoor warning sirens, testing schedule, and sample recordings.
• BeReady Lexington mobile app: download the free app to: share your status with your selected contacts with the push of a button, receive critical emergency alerts, get the latest emergency preparedness news and weather alerts for the Fayette County area, create a personalized emergency preparedness plan, locate Fayette County’s emergency shelters, and view up-to-date evacuation route maps.
• LEXALERTS: A FREE, state-of-the-art emergency and public information notification system for Lexington and Fayette County. The LEXALERTS emergency notification system enables officials to alert residents when there is a significant threat to their health and safety. Once registered, residents will receive these alerts automatically and can update their profile at any time with the links below.
• NOAA Weather Radio: includes directions, depending on the model of radio, to program it with a six-digit code identifying your home county and/or how to select a specific broadcast frequency.
• Radio Lexington: WQKE-967 (1620 AM) provides public service, tourism, traffic information, and event information/announcements of interest to the citizens of Fayette County. Radio Lexington transmits 24 hours a day/seven days a week.
Garrard County
Garrard County has outdoor warning sirens that are not funded by CSEPP but are used during a CSEPP incident.
Garrard County Opt-In Notifications
Garrard County utilizes Hyper-Reach for sending emergency alerts to residents. Signing up for emergency alerts is: easy, fast, and simple. It can save: your life, your family, and your property. Be prepared for…
- Floods
- Fires
- Severe weather
- Public health alerts
- Criminal activity
- And other emergency situations.
Five easy ways to sign up:
1) Scan this QR code
2) Go to the Hyper-Reach website: http://hyper-reach.com/kygarrardsignup.html
3) Call: 859-328-5758
4) Text “alerts” to 859-328-5758
5) Tell your Alexa unit “Alexa, enable Hyper-Reach”
Jackson County
Jackson County has no outdoor warning sirens.
Jessamine County
Jessamine County has outdoor alert sirens that are not funded by CSEPP and are not used during a CSEPP incident.
The outdoor sirens are for public areas, if in a residence or building it is recommended to use local television stations, cell phones or NOAA weather alert radios to follow in case of severe weather.
Jessamine County Opt-In Notifications
Jessamine County utilizes Code Red for public notifications. Residents can sign up on the Jessamine County website under Emergency Management.
Jessamine County now utilizes social media for notifications. Join the Jessamine County Emergency Management Facebook Page
Laurel County
Laurel County has outdoor warning sirens that are not funded by CSEPP and are not used during a CSEPP incident.
There is one Outdoor Warning Siren in the city limits of London, that is used for Tornado Warnings and tested daily at 12:00pm. There is also one siren in the county at East Bernstadt Fire Department that is a manual Outdoor Warning siren and only used for Tornado Warnings.
Laurel County Opt-In Notifications
Seconds matter in an emergency.
Receive emergency alerts from local public safety agencies, advanced warning of severe weather, and community notifications that impact you and your family.
Sign up is FREE! Choose when and how you receive alerts (text, email, voice and mobile app options are available).
Here’s How to Sign Up:
OPTION #1 – Scan this QR code or visit: laurelcounty-ky.myfreealerts.com
OPTION #2 – Download the myAlerts app (QR codes above)
Madison County
Madison County has outdoor alert sirens that are at least partially funded by CSEPP and are used during a CSEPP incident.
These sirens are an alert system used to let people who are standing outside know that an emergency is happening or is imminent. When you hear an outdoor alert siren, you should move inside immediately and seek a notification system like your emergency alert radio, cell phone, television or AM/FM radio channels for more information on what to do.
Alert FM Radios: are small, white devices that may have been provided to you by Madison County EMA/CSEPP. These radios serve as a notification system, alerting residents and businesses to chemical or weather emergencies affecting Madison County.
Madison County Opt-In Notifications
Rave Alerts Madison County uses the Rave Alert System for an Emergency Alert Program that provides a phone call, text message, and/or email in the event of an emergency or a special situation that affects the county. This is an opt-in alert program and provides an extra layer of security and peace of mind so you can know that when an emergency occurs, you have many ways to receive news about the situation. TEXT MCEMA to 77295 to sign up for Rave Alert!
9-1-1 Alerts: To receive community alerts and notifications about weather, traffic, emergency incidents, public service announcements, and other special community events from Madison County, sign up at Smart911.com.
Powell County
Powell County has outdoor warning sirens that are not funded by CSEPP but can be used during a CSEPP incident.
Powell County Opt-In Notifications
POWELL COUNTY Implements CODE RED Geo Citizens Calling System
The CODE RED Calling System for Powell County is an automated system that calls homes and businesses to notify you about serious emergency situations and severe weather alerts for the citizens, it is direct call from the national weather service when a storm is approaching your physical address, as well as routine community notifications, and has most recently been implemented for our county.
In the event of an emergency, public safety personnel will identify the affected area of the county and activate the system. It will automatically call all telephone numbers within a specified area, or the entire county, and deliver a recorded message.
Sign up today.
Rockcastle County
Rockcastle County has no outdoor warning sirens.