Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA)
Dakota 911 manages a robust County-wide community notification system designed to quickly alert the public of emergencies that may affect their health or welfare. Most notifications will be sent as WEAs, broadcast by cellular towers to geo-targeted areas for a specific duration of time. Anyone entering the area of a WEA during the active broadcast period has the potential of receiving the alert on their cellular device. Citizens may opt out of receiving these alerts.
WEA notifications are a partnership with Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) and can only be sent if they meet certain requirements. To learn more about what to expect with WEA messages, or to learn how to opt out, click the WEA button below.
Public Safety Notifications
Dakota 911 also relies on emergency contact databases to send public safety notifications, either in addition to a WEA or if the situation does not meet the criteria for a WEA. These notifications can be sent to multiple channels, including SMS text, phone, and email. Citizens are encouraged to register for public safety notifications by clicking the green button at the top of this page.
You may receive one or both types of notifications
If you have registered an address to receive public safety notifications, and a WEA is activated for a geo-targeted area that includes that address, you may receive both WEA and public safety notification for the same incident.