How will you get notified?

doommunky - September 26, 2020

NewsScenarios

How will you get notified when something happens in your area? How will you stay tuned to updates?

I’m currently signed up for my county alert system, so I hope I’ll get a text if something is going down, but I’m not sure I will hear it if I’m asleep.

I’m also realizing a neighborhood or street text group may be super helpful.

Based on the helpful social media thread recently I’m collecting a list of social media accounts in a notes doc on my phone I can check if something is going down.

How will you a) hear about local emergencies and b) stay tuned to updates?

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I subscribe to quite a few “Breaking News” feeds. I also have a small network of friends, family and neighbors that I’m routinely in contact with. Like you, I have emergency cell alert concerns when it comes to sleeping.

Consider a ham radio (if only for listening, unless you have your license) and setup channels for the local police, fire, ems services.

You could also use a scanner radio app (Scanner Pro for AOSP) and subscribe to local police, fire, ems stations in your area. An additional benefit is, many scanner apps allow you to get notifications if a certain channel exceeds its normal number of listeners. 

 

Having just slept through an emergency evacuation notification last week, I can appreciate the question. Here’s what I’ve done to prevent that from happening again (iPhone-specific):

• I added the county alert system text number to my Contacts and gave the contact a name, so the text is identified when I look at it.
• I edited the contact to select a specific text tone (that really obnoxious alarm klaxon ringtone that will wake the dead…).
• On the same edit screen, I set “Emergency Bypass” to ON. This will allow the text through when Do-Not-Disturb is on.

This may not be helpful if you sleep like a rock, but maybe someone else will hear it.

 

This is a great idea! Here are the instructions for Android phones:

1. Follow Watermelon Samurai’s steps above by adding the county alert system to your contacts and pick an obnoxious ringtone for them.

2. Make sure that you click the star icon next to their name in your contacts

3. Go to settings>sounds>do not disturb

4. There will be a setting in there called Priority-only settings or Exceptions. In there you will say that starred contacts can call or text you.

 

This is so helpful, thank you both!