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About Alert Iowa

Alert Iowa is the State of Iowa’s official emergency notification system. Through Alert Iowa, state and local officials are able to utilize a single, statewide notification system that provides local control of how and when to disseminate emergency and public safety messages to residents. Learn if your county is participating and sign up now to receive free alerts via text message, email, and/or voice message.

You can sign up for Alert Iowa through text opt-in, through an online opt-in page, or by downloading the Smart911 App.

Availability may vary by county, but features include:

  • weather alerts
  • county or community-specific alerts
  • alerts in multiple languages
  • access and functional needs registry
  • alerts received via voicemail, text, or email
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Sign Up to Receive Emergency Notifications

Sign up to receive alerts in your county. Citizens can sign up using three different processes.

  • Create a profile through your county’s website opt-in page. Sign up for the alerts you want to receive through your county’s web page.
  • Download the Smart911 app and create a customized profile. Receive targeted community and weather alerts. Download the Smart911 app for free and opt-in to plan ahead for emergencies.
  • Send a text message to opt-in. This is the quickest way to sign up. Send a text message to 672-83 with your County Name followed by IA. Example: FremontIA

Download Sign Up Guide. Download Sign Up Guide En Español.

Messages can be delivered via text, email and/or voice message. Additional language options for messaging may be available.

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Alert Iowa Counties

There are 92 counties currently signed up.

The Iowa county map below shows the counties that have signed up to join the Alert Iowa system. Citizens will be able to sign up to receive alerts on the county’s registration page. If you choose, you may sign up to receive alerts in multiple counties.

County map of Iowa, showing counties participating in Alert Iowa

Is your county not participating in the State Alert system? You can still receive targeted weather alerts and community alerts across the State through the Smart911 App!

Sign up for alerts in participating counties listed below.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Download Alert Iowa FAQs. Download Alert Iowa FAQs En Español.

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What are Wireless Emergency Alerts?

Illustration of Iowa farmland and cityscape showing how wireless alerts reach everyone while on a tractor or in a skyscraper..

Wireless emergency alerts (WEAs) are used to send concise, text-like messages to WEA-capable mobile devices during emergency situations. WEAs are sent by state and local public safety officials, the National Weather Service, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the President of the United States. View Wireless Emergency Alerts introduction in PDF format.

More than 100 wireless providers, including all of the largest carriers, have WEA-capable devices. WEA-capable phones first became available in April 2012, but many mobile devices, especially older ones, are not WEA-capable. If you purchase a new mobile device, it will probably be able to receive WEA messages.

There are three types of alerts:

  • Presidential. Alerts are issued by the President or a designee during a national emergency.
  • Imminent Threat. Alerts are issued when an imminent threat to life or property exists in your area, including man-made or natural disasters such as flash floods and tornadoes.
  • Amber. Alerts are issued to help law enforcement search for and locate an abducted child.
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How to Enable Alerts on a Cellular Phone

  • iPhone Instructions. By default, Government Alerts are turned on for your device. If you want to turn these alerts on or off, follow these steps: Go to Settings > Notifications. Scroll to the bottom of the screen.
  • Android OS Instructions. In Android phones, the exact location of the options to enable WEAs vary. Use the search function in the Settings app to find Emergency Alerts. Turn on the ability to allow alerts, or a similar setting you may see.
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Community & County Resources

Download editable PowerPoint social media and website resources to spread the word on Alert Iowa.

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