Know Your Alerts 101: The City of Santa Rosa’s Notification and Warning Systems

The City of Santa Rosa uses multiple notification and warning systems to make sure emergency alerts are delivered to the people who need the information. Make sure you are signed up for the systems that require subscription and understand how they are used for emergency communications. Bookmark the Know Your Alerts webpage, download the City's alerts and warnings flyer to review all notification tools, and add one to your emergency go-bag.

SoCoAlert - Notification by phone call, text, and email

In the event of an evacuation warning, order or a shelter-in-place notification, emergency officials will use SoCoAlert to reach you. You must register for emergency notifications to receive alerts by phone call, text, and/or email. Sign up for SoCoAlert today!

Evacuation notices sent through SoCoAlert will use the following terminology:

• EVACUATION WARNING: There is potential threat to life and property within a given time frame. Begin preparing yourself, your animals, and your property for a potential evacuation order.
• EVACUATION ORDER: You must evacuate immediately due to imminent threat to life.
• SHELTER-IN-PLACE: Stay secure at your current location. This may be required when evacuation is impossible, too dangerous, or unnecessary.

CivicReady

The City of Santa Rosa's police and fire departments can send you public safety alerts, press releases, and information notifications via text message, email, or voice mail (in extreme cases), based on your preferences.

The system is used for emergency alerts, as well as non-emergency incidents that may have significant impacts to residents. In addition to receiving information on your wireless device, you may also receive notification on your land telephone line, if you have one, depending on the type of incident or event.

Sign up for CivicReady or make modifications to your account.

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs)

WEAs are short emergency messages broadcast from cell towers to any WEA‐enabled mobile device in a locally targeted area. Wireless providers primarily use cell broadcast technology for WEA message delivery. WEA is a partnership among FEMA, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and wireless providers to enhance public safety.

WEAs can be sent to your mobile device when you may be in harm's way, without the need to download an app or subscribe to a service. WEAs are messages that warn the public of an impending natural or human-made disaster. The messages are short and can provide immediate, life-saving information.

Hi/Lo Sirens on Public Safety Vehicles - Hear the Hi/Lo, time to GO!

Depending on the emergency, Santa Rosa's ability to reach you traditional alert and warning tools may be limited. Santa Rosa police cars and fire department vehicles are outfitted with new Hi/Lo sirens, a different sound than traditional sirens, that will only be used to alert residents to evacuate. This European-style, 2-tone siren will only be used in an emergency to alert residents within specific areas of the need to evacuate. If you hear the Hi/Lo, it's time to go. Watch a brief video with the sound turned "on" to hear the Hi/Lo siren.

Additional Alerting Tools

Additional alerting tools such as the Emergency Alert System (EAS), NOAA Weather Radio broadcast alerts, and social media will also be used to notify you in the event of a large-scale emergency evacuation.

The City of Santa Rosa thanks you for your continued commitment to disaster preparedness.