Following recent enhancements to the SMCalert emergency alert and warning system, those living and working in San Mateo County can now receive text, email and voice messages that include maps, images and multiple languages.
SMCalert’s new features are intended to further assist residents by providing them with key information to help them stay safe and steer clear of incidents such as major traffic delays and detours, wildfires, floods, and mountain lions.
The added capabilities are due to a new vendor, RAVE, which replaces Everbridge.
SMCalert is a free notification system used to alert you immediately about urgent or emergency situations.
Senders include San Mateo County and its cities; the new alert system has an enhanced identification component to show recipients exactly which agency sent the message.
The new system also allows you to choose to receive messages in English, Spanish or Simplified Chinese.
In light of this, officials are encouraging residents and existing SMCalert recipients to create a new account to enable the new features. If you don't, you will continue to receive alerts as before, but you won't be able to take advantage of the additional features.
Those interested in registering or creating a new account can do so on the website www.smcalert.info.
They also encouraged those not currently using SMCalert to sign up and customize the types of alerts they would like to receive.
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