Clearer, Consistent Emergency Alerts and Hi/Lo Sirens Provide Improved Calls For Action

BOULDER, Colo. - Community members who receive emergency alerts through BOCOAlert.org will receive more consistent and standardized alert language for text messages they get during an emergency. Starting August 3, the City of Boulder, Boulder County, and other dispatch centers across the Colorado Front Range are aligning the wording and structure of their emergency alert templates so that community members get the same clear, life-saving instructions no matter which agency sends the message.

Additionally, the City of Boulder will be using a hi/lo siren, which will sound from Boulder Police patrol car loudspeakers in the event an Evacuation Order is issued. You can hear the hi/lo siren sound here. The hi/lo siren will not replace emergency alerts, but it adds a reliable, on-the-ground level of alerting support during an emergency.

"When seconds count, people shouldn't have to decode different phrasing from different agencies to understand what to do," said Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn.

"By standardizing our alert templates region-wide, we're making sure that whether an alert comes from the City of Boulder, the Boulder County dispatch center, or another neighboring area, the message is immediately recognizable and easy to act on," commented Boulder Fire-Rescue Chief Calderazzo.

Boulder-area residents often cross jurisdictional lines for work, school and recreation. In a fast-moving emergency, such as a wildfire, flash flood or other hazard, coordinated, consistent alert language helps people react quickly and correctly, regardless of which agency's dispatch center issues the notification.

Beginning Aug. 3, all emergency alerts sent through BOCOAlert.org will follow one of the standardized formats below. Each message will identify the authoritative source, the type of hazard, the affected location, and the recommended action, along with a link to a map of the affected area. Alerts community members may receive include:

• Order to Evacuate: Issued when there is an immediate threat to life. Residents in the affected area are directed to leave immediately. Hi/Lo sirens may sound from Police patrol cars via loudspeaker.
• Warning to Evacuate: Issued when a threat may develop into a life-safety emergency. Residents are advised to prepare to evacuate, or to leave now if they anticipate needing extra time.
• Order to Climb to Higher Ground: Issued specifically for flash flooding events, directing residents in the affected area to move to higher ground.
• Order to Shelter in Place: Issued when leaving the area would be more dangerous than staying. This alert will now include a specific protective action for residents to take, tailored to the hazard at hand.
• Missing Person: Issued when the public's help is needed to locate a missing person believed to be at risk. Community members are asked to call 911 if they have information.

Community members are encouraged to opt in to receive these notifications by registering at BOCOAlert.org. People can sign up to receive alerts by text, email, and phone call for their home, work, or other addresses of interest.

In addition to these opt-in alerts, community members should be aware that emergency dispatch centers may also send a Wireless Emergency Alert directly to cell phones within a specific geographic area, regardless of whether the phone's owner has registered at BOCOAlert.org. This capability is reserved for large-scale emergencies where life safety is at immediate risk and is geographically targeted to the area affected.

To ensure community members are prepared and alerted in the case of a large-scale emergency, we recommend community members:

• Visit BOCOAlert.org to register or update your contact information.
• Familiarize yourself with the new alert language above so you can act quickly if you receive one of these messages.
• If you receive an alert, follow the instructions immediately and visit BOCO911Alert.org for a map of the affected area.

For more information about emergency preparedness in Boulder visit:
Emergency Preparedness | City of Boulder