Emergency Alert & Warning

Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA) Emergency Management uses several alerting methods to warn the public of potential hazards and dangerous situations within Clark County.

• Each of the warning methods have specific benefits and limitations.
• No single notification system will work in every circumstance.
• Some of the warning systems require residents to pre-register in order to fully realize all of the benefits.
• Some warning methods require little more then owning a smart phone or paying attention to the loud alert signals on the radio or TV.

There are many ways to get notified in emergencies that may impact you. ACT NOW to ensure that you can get alerts through these methods:

Public Alerts 

• Public Alerts are the primary channel CRESA Emergency Management uses to communicate with the public during an emergency, as requested by our Law Enforcement and Fire partners "in the field" everyday.
• In the past this technology have been referred to as "reverse 911" or Emergency Community Notification System (ECNS). Here we have it branded as Clark Public Alerts.
• The alerts are sent by address. The alert originator will draw a shape and any contact registered to an address within that shape will receive the message.
• The message can b received in the form of a text message, phone call, or email. You choose your preferences when you register.
• You can register for multiple addresses with Public Alerts. This is a great resource for those who own multiple homes or properties, work in a different location, or are just concerned about places like children's schools or the residences of elderly family members.
• The best way to ensure you receive these alerts when, where, and how you want them is to register on ClarkPublicAlerts.org.

Please note this website will prompt you to create an account with our software provider, Everbridge. This is correct and all information is private and used only for your own benefit in receiving Public Alerts.

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

WEA are text alerts that can be sent to most newer smart phones within an area s drawn in a shape by the alert originator.  WEA differs from Public Alerts in that they relate to your current physical location, not your home county or address associated with your mobile phone. These messages have a unique tone and vibration.  This short message will give immediate advice.

There are multiple types of alerts that use this channel:

• Extreme weather sent by the National Weather Service (NWS) in Portland.
• Other extreme hazards sent by us at CRESA Emergency Management.
• AMBER Alerts (sent by Washington State Patrol)
• Presidential alerts in a National Emergency

You can opt out of all except Presidential alerts, but we encourage you to think twice before turning local alerts off.

Emergency Alert System (EAS)  

EAS alerts are immediate and widespread alerts through media channels, usually across an entire county, and in our case the entire Portland Metro Region due to our proximity to our neighbors to the south.

 These alerts are broadcast on the local media market to include:

• Local television channels
• Locale AM/FM Radio
• NOAA weather radios

Alerts begin with loud audible beeps followed by specific instructions to protect yourself. These alerts are not broadcast by national media channels and do not work on internet or satellite streamed or radio or TV channels.