The Iowa Emergency Notification System is receiving an upgrade that will increase its ability to provide emergency and public safety information to citizens.

Alert Iowa is a statewide emergency notification system that allows state and local authorities to communicate emergency information directly to citizens. The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEMD) is making improvements to the system, in place since 2014, which will use improved technology to make it easier for authorities to issue alerts and provide more ‘options to the public to receive vital information. .

Alert Iowa was developed by HSEMD to provide all counties with access to a single, state-wide notification system that provides local control over how and when emergency and public safety messages are delivered to residents. System upgrades are delivered through a new platform from Rave Mobile Safety and will benefit both the people who receive the alerts and the managers who send them. Residents will be able to register through a web portal, by SMS or by downloading the Smart911 app.

For officials sending the messages, the improved system will make it easier to create and send alerts, give them the ability to use social media to deliver emergency messages, and provide 24/7 support. .

Residents will start receiving messages generated by the new platform by July, when the system transition is complete.

To register, visit https://www.smart911.com/smart911/ref/reg.action?pa=JasperCountyIowaAlerts or send JASPERIA to 67283 to continue receiving alerts.