County-Wide Alerts Available in Emergencies

Public Safety Leaders Encourage Citizens to Sign Up to Receive Life-Saving Information

(ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio) - State and local leaders gathered in Belmont County to encourage citizens to sign up to receive emergency alerts. Mass notification systems can offer timely alerts on public safety information, including severe weather, active threats, and other events within a specific area.

"These alerts can literally save your life," said Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson. "The devastating floods in Texas and other recent natural disasters revealed that many citizens in rural areas did not receive alerts in a timely manner. Every Ohioan needs to be aware there are ways to receive emergency notifications that are specific to their county."

"There are many ways to receive trusted emergency alerts and it's important that you find the one that works the best for you and your family," said Ohio EMA Executive Director Sima Merick. "We want to encourage all Ohioans to be aware of the hazards that can impact our state and ensure you have multiple methods of receiving emergency communications."

Among the many ways to receive emergency notifications are weather radios, local news stations, cell-phone alerts, and outdoor warning sirens. It is critical that you also have a method of alert that can wake you during the night as outdoor sirens are not designed to be heard indoors.

Each county EMA in Ohio can help you figure out what notification system works best for you.

"We strongly recommend all Ohioans sign up for their local emergency alerts. Many counties use their own mass notification systems to keep citizens informed in an emergency situation," said Belmont County EMA Director Dave Ivan. "Belmont County residents can sign up for CodeRED, which can send out alerts to participants through text, phone, email, and a free mobile app when there is an emergency in the area."

To learn more about how emergency management works in Ohio and to find a list of county emergency management offices, visit the Ohio Emergency Management Agency's website.