ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Storms may be on the horizon, but residents across Western North Carolina have several ways to stay informed and prepared, officials say.
The National Weather Service’s Greenville-Spartanburg office reminds the public that Wireless Emergency Alerts, or WEA, can deliver weather warnings directly to cell phones for free. Alerts are sent only to users in affected areas and include both a tone and vibration. More information is available here.
Local governments and emergency management agencies have also implemented notification systems to provide residents with critical updates.
Asheville
AVL Alert is the city of Asheville’s emergency and non-emergency notification system, allowing residents to receive information through their preferred communication methods. By enrolling, users are automatically subscribed to emergency alerts and can select additional non-emergency notifications during registration. Participants can update contact information or change subscription preferences at any time by logging into the system. Click here to sign up.
Buncombe County
The county’s BCAlerts system, powered by CodeRED, allows residents to receive emergency notifications and general county information via smartphone, phone, or email. Users can sign up by texting “BCAlert” to 99411 or visiting the county website. Alerts can cover emergencies, weather, recreation services, elections, governing updates, and more. Residents previously registered with Nixle must re-register to continue receiving messages after June 30.
Black Mountain
The town of Black Mountain offers emergency condition and road closure e-notifications to keep residents informed. All subscribers will receive alerts automatically, and residents can sign up at any time to receive these emergency notifications. Click here to learn more.
Henderson County and Hendersonville
Henderson County’s 911 Center partners with Nixle to deliver real-time emergency and community alerts via text, email or online. Click here to learn more. Meanwhile, Hendersonville operates AlertHVL, a free service providing emergency and community notifications, including utility disruptions and major traffic incidents. Residents can customize alerts and sign up online.
Transylvania County
The county recently launched Rave Alert, a mass notification system that delivers messages across multiple channels. Residents can sign up by texting “TCRave” to 67283 or visiting bit.ly/TCRave
. The system replaces the previous CodeRED alerts and integrates with Smart911, allowing users to provide emergency responders with vital personal and household information.
Other counties
McDowell County: Offers alert sign-ups through its Emergency Management office and other local agencies. Click here to sign up.
Madison County: Residents can receive weather and community alerts via cell phone or email. Click here to learn more.
Yancey and Haywood counties: Alert centers provide emergency updates online, with instant notifications available through “Notify Me®” or RSS feeds. Click here to sign up for Haywood County alerts and here for Yancey County alerts.
Officials urge residents to take advantage of these systems, especially as the region monitors the potential impacts of Hurricane Humberto and Tropical Storm Imelda.
LESSONS FROM HELENE: EMERGENCY KIT ESSENTIALStified of alerts and emergencies subscribe to Notify Me® or RSS.
