Upgrades to Iowa’s emergency notification system, Alert Iowa, are making it easier for residents of Tama County to sign up and receive alerts about severe weather and other emergencies. Alert Iowa is a statewide emergency notification system the county uses to send alerts to residents. Improvements to the system will enable Tama County officials to better communicate emergency information directly to citizens via voice call, text message, email, and social media. The system also now has the capability to translate messages into multiple languages.

“Alert Iowa is a great tool that allows us to push official, real-time alerts to our residents,” said Ryan Goodenbour, Tama County emergency manager. “These upgrades will not only make it easier for us to notify our residents when emergencies happen or we need to share important safety information, but will let residents choose the best way for them to receive alerts.”

Signing up for Alert Iowa is easy and can be done through the county’s web portal, by sending a text, or by downloading the Smart911 app. Residents who are currently signed up to receive alerts will need to sign up again.

Calls from the Alert Iowa system will appear on caller ID as coming from 641-484-6261.

To sign up or to learn more about Alert Iowa in Tama County, visit www.tamacounty.iowa.gov. Additional information on the system is available at www.homelandsecurity.iowa.gov.