Know Your Emergency Alert Systems
From the January 2019 Issue of the SHHA Bulletin
If Sleepy Hollow is threatened by a catastrophic fire there are a number of emergency alert systems operated through the Marin County Office of Emergency Services that will provide warnings and information related to evacuation or other emergency procedures. For more information please visit their web site www.marinsheriff.org/services/emergency-services/emergency-alert-and-warning-tools.
Emergency Alert System (EAS)
This system is used to send detailed warnings via broadcast, cable, satellite, and wireline radio and television channels. EAS provides very broad alerting to the entire Bay Area media market.
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) also called Amber Alerts
The Office of Emergency Services can send messages to all cell phones within range of a series of cell towers. You do not need to be a subscriber to an alerting system to receive the message. The system is only used cautiously because messages are received by many cell phone users who are not actually in an evacuation zone or under immediate threat.
Alert Marin
You must sign up to receive emergency alerts at Alertmarin.com. You can choose multiple ways to receive an alert. Call, text, email, or smart phone application. If you have a landline, that is automatically included to receive alerts.
Reverse 911
This system only works for landlines. The Office of Emergency Services can send messages to all landlines within a specific geographic area which can be determined by OES.
Nixle
Information is posted by local police department ensuring that you receive trusted and immediate, geographically relevant information over your cell phone by text message, by email, and over the web. Members of the public may self-register by texting their zip code to 888777. The Ross Valley Fire Department is also using Nixle if there is a routine fire or other emergency
Social Media
The Marin County Sheriff’s Office uses many of the social media platforms now available to assist in disseminating information to the public. These platforms are: Twitter, Facebook, Nextdoor, Instagram, Webpages and others.
Sirens/Horns
Some communities in Marin County use sirens or horns to alert residents and visitors to an imminent dangerous situation. The siren/horn activation is usually followed up by the distribution of additional information or direction by using one of the alerting systems above or by broadcasting a pre-recorded message on a local radio station. The Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District is working with the LRAD Corporation to determine if a siren system would be effective in Sleepy Hollow.
Law Enforcement/Fire Agency Evacuation Procedures
Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters may drive through neighborhoods during an actual event with sirens activated announcing evacuations and/or emergency directions over their loud speakers. Sheriff’s Air Patrol may also fly overhead announcing the same information.
