Test Conducted of the City’s Emergency Alert System
Published on December 14, 2023
Test Conducted of the City’s Emergency Alert System
The City saw new sign-ups because of the test and continue to encourage both residents and businesses to sign-up for free
The City of Palo Alto conducted a test of its emergency alert system today. Are you signed up and did you receive it? The test confirmed over 4,368 notifications were received. The top notification method was cell phone text message, followed by email message. The test of the system seeks to build community awareness of the City’s emergency alert system, as only one third of Palo Alto residents are currently registered to receive emergency notifications. The City saw new sign-ups because of the test and continue to encourage both residents and businesses to sign-up for free. It also provides a reminder for those that have accounts to check settings preferences to ensure receipt of the test notification.
The City uses AlertSCC (Everbridge), a Santa Clara County emergency notification system employed by all Santa Clara County cities, to alert the public about emergency situations such as a flood incident, wildfire, or other public safety event. AlertSCC is free for everyone. It is quick and easy to set up, and users can select if alerts are sent directly to your mobile device, landline, and/or email address. You decide how you want to receive alerts and designate the order by which you want to be notified. To sign up for the City’s emergency alert system, go to www.alertscc.com. To change your account preferences, log into your account at https://member.everbridge.net/453003085615038/login.
There are several other ways for the community to stay informed before, during and after an emergency, public safety incident or other event that poses a public safety risk to residents.