OakAlert to notify residents and businesses of vital information

According to a press release, Oakland County has launched an electronic alert system that can help save lives during an emergency, County Executive L. Brooks Patterson announced today. The OakAlert system will notify individuals who have signed up for the alerts about weather warnings and other emergencies in the county. Staying informed about potential dangers near home, work, or school can allow for a more adequate response time.

“Providing timely information to the people who live, work and play in Oakland County is essential to the safety of everyone,” Patterson said. “I encourage all of our residents, businesses and visitors to sign-up for OakAlert.”

The system, which is voluntary, sends notifications about emergencies, disasters or hazardous situations that may require immediate action to the emails and/or cell phones of users who registered online. Due to the nature of OakAlert’s messages, they are likely to be infrequent and will only be used as needed.

The messages will be limited to:

  • Imminent or perceived threats to life or property
  • Disaster notifications
  • Evacuation notices
  • Public health emergencies
  • Public safety emergencies

Examples include chemical spills impacting public health; outdoor warning siren activations (will not include other weather watches, warnings, or advisories); active shooter situations causing an evacuation or shelter-in-place orders; significant road closures such as a complete highway closure, not lane closures or daily traffic incidents; closure or interruption in service of county operations; and additional notifications affecting the health and safety of the county.

Once a message is received through the OakAlert system, additional information will be broadcast through the media and NOAA radios. OakAlert will not but be used for notifications of non-emergency situations. Oakland County offers non-emergency messaging through the Oakland County Digital Subscription service.

About Sarah Hovis

Freelance wordsmith, arts appreciator, grammar geek, sports spectator, stationery snob, and world traveler, Sarah charts her own course as the owner of saliho creative. She uses her creative mind and engaging dialogue to fearlessly bring the written word to life in print and online… all while keeping a watchful eye out for the next literary adventure. You can reach her at sarah@rochestermedia.com.

Speak Your Mind

*