Hamilton County residents are encouraged to have multiple methods of receiving alerts & warnings. How will you receive alerts?

Weather Radios – This is one of the fastest and most reliable methods to obtain urgent weather information 24/7.This should be a must have and always on for your home, business, church, school, college, university, office, nursing homes, places of assembly, vacation getaways, etc. The National Weather Service (NWS) website has detailed information about different types of weather radios, as well as explanations of the different features that can be applied to your radio.

Alert Hamilton County– Sign up to receive National Weather Service alerts, life-safety information, and emergency messages from Hamilton County EMHSA. www.alerthc.org

Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS): During an emergency, officials need to provide the public with life-saving information quickly. IPAWS is a modernization and integration of the nation's alert and warning infrastructure, and will save time when time matters most, protecting life and property. IPAWS allows public officials to send out geo-specific alerts across various platforms quickly. The methods by which alerts can be disseminated include:

• Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS)/Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs)
• Emergency Alert System (EAS)
• NOAA Weather Radios
• Internet Systems

For more information about IPAWS, click HERE.

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are based on your current location and will alert you anytime you are inside an “Extreme Weather Warning” area such as a Tornado Warning, Flash Flood Warning or Extreme Wind warnings. WEA’s also broadcast AMBER Alerts and local emergencies that may require evacuation or immediate action, and even Presidential Alerts during a national emergency. Most modern smart phones have this capability installed and “ON”. Check the “Notification” settings of your smartphone to enable WEAs.

Emergency Alert System- During an emergency, the Emergency Alert System (EAS) can be used to transmit weather or other safety information impacting your area. The EAS may be used by state and local authorities to deliver important emergency information, such as AMBER alerts and weather information targeted to specific areas. EAS messages appear as the scrolling messages across the television screen and over the radio.

Local TV & Radio – When you receive a weather alert or safety warning, it is important to “Take Cover, Tune In, and Take Action.” Immediately seek shelter, tune in to local media for more information, and take the appropriate actions to keep you and your family safe.

Social Media– Follow Hamilton County EMHSA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and find us on Nextdoor for preparedness information, as well as weather alerts and warnings! Weather alerts & warnings are automatically posted to Facebook and Twitter via the National Weather Service.

Twitter: @HCEMA
Facebook: @hamilton.countyema
Instagram: @hc_ema

Outdoor Warning Sirens – Take Cover, Tune In, Take Action! The roughly 190 outdoor warning siren strategically placed throughout Hamilton County are intended to alert those that are outdoors at recreation sites such as baseball fields, soccer fields, football fields, playgrounds or a park to immediately seek shelter indoors.

There are three basic criteria to activate the sirens:

1. The National Weather Service issues a Tornado Warning for Hamilton County
2. A tornado is reported by a local public safety official
3. A dangerous situation occurs which requires the public to seek shelter immediately and obtain information from a news outlet, TV or radio station, on what the hazard is in your area.

Please note and understand that these sirens are exposed to the elements 24/7/365. Throughout the year, EMHSA provides service and maintenance on all of the sirens. However, EMHSA cannot guarantee that the sirens will function 100% of the time, due to circumstances such as: high winds, auto accidents, power outages, lightning strikes, etc. For more information about the Hamilton County Outdoor Warning Siren System, click HERE.

What is Alert Hamilton County?

Alert Hamilton County, or “Alert HC,” is a mass notification and warning system used to alert residents about emergencies and other important information in Hamilton County.

How can I register?

Register for Alert HC at www.alerthc.org.

Why should I sign up for Alert notifications?

Alert HC enables officials to provide critical information directly to you as emergencies happen. The alerts provide information through text message, email, cell phone, home phone or work phone.

What types of notifications will I receive?

Alert HC will send alerts about severe weather and emergency information. You are able to select which notifications you wish to receive when you register for Alert HC at www.alerthc.org. Alert HC is customizable and allows you to choose what weather notifications you want to receive, how you want to receive them and the location for which you want to receive alerts.

What types of notifications will available via voice call?

Alert HC will only call opted-in users for the following warnings: Civil Danger Warnings, Civil Emergency Messages, Evacuation Immediate, Flash Flood Warnings, Flood Warnings, Shelter in Place Warnings, and Tornado Warnings. The only automatic voice call (sent even if you did not opt-in) is to alert residents of a Tornado Warning.

Can I change my alert or profile settings?

Yes. To edit your alert or profile settings, please log in to your account at www.alerthc.org.

When will Alert HC be used?

Alert HC is used to send emergency notifications when there are imminent threats to life, health and safety for residents in Hamilton County. When weather alerts are issued for Hamilton County by the National Weather Service, users who opt-in to receive those respective alerts will be notified.

Who sends alerts?

Hamilton County Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency, the Hamilton County Communications Center, and participating jurisdictions within Hamilton County are authorized to issue alerts and notifications.

Who can register for Alert Hamilton County?

Anyone can register for Alert HC. Whether you live, work, travel through, or have family/friends in Hamilton County, the service is available to you. However, only addresses within Hamilton County will receive an alert from the system.

What if I previously provided my information to a city notification system?

If you previously provided your information to a city notification system, you still need to register in Alert Hamilton County to ensure you receive emergency notifications.

Is my landline information automatically uploaded into the system?

Landline information of customers serviced ONLY by Cincinnati Bell have been automatically uploaded into the system. If you get landline phone service through any other provider, or through your Internet service, your information was not automatically uploaded into the system. Please register your personal and contact information via www.alerthc.org.

Can my landline be removed from the automatically uploaded landline database?

No. Due to privacy restrictions, your landline phone number cannot be deleted from the system. If you do not wish to receive alerts to your landline, please be aware that you will only be notified via landline call if a Tornado Warning is issued over your address.

Why do I need to provide an address?

In order to take advantage of the features of the system, interested users should enter a valid Hamilton County address which allows a specific geographic location to receive automatic weather watches and warnings.

If you are not comfortable entering your home address, you may use the address of a local school, post office, public building, or any valid street address closest to your home or place of work.

Will my personal information be secure?

Any information that you provide in your Safety Profile is secure and private. Your information will be used only for notification purposes or to assist first responders if needed during an emergency. Your information will not be sold or provided to any vendor or outside organization.

What if my phone number, address, or email address changes?

Once you have registered to receive notifications, it is important that you keep your profile current. If your contact information changes, please remember to update your information in your profile. You can change your information by logging in to your account at www.alerthc.org.

Every six months, you will be prompted to go into your profile and provide updates to personal or contact information.

What number will appear when Alert Hamilton County sends me a text message?

When you receive text messages from Alert Hamilton County, they will be sent from any of the following short codes: 226787, 67283, 78015, 81437, and 22911. We encourage you to add this text number into your mobile phone contacts to easily identify text messages that are alerts.

What types of devices are compatible with Alert Hamilton County?

Text messaging (SMS network), email accounts, cellphones, and landlines are compatible with Alert Hamilton County. Standard text message charges may apply from your mobile carrier, depending on your text message plan. If you are unsure about text messaging on your cell phone, please contact your provider.