Stay Informed with WarnCentralTexas.org

As seen during Hurricane Harvey, natural disasters and other life changing emergencies can happen very quickly, and it’s important to have as much information available, as quickly as possible, to make decisions to keep you, your family and the community safe.

This September, in observance of National Preparedness Month, we are asking all employees to take an active step toward contributing to a disaster ready regional community. Please sign up to get emergency and evacuation alerts in your neighborhood, directly from your local first responders, by phone, text or email. Simply sign up at WarnCentralTexas.org.

The link will take you to the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) regional notification system registration, a service of Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano, Travis, and Williamson Counties. Using this system, emergency responders in your neighborhood can send hyper-local messages to you neighborhood, street or block.

Additionally, here are links to posters that can be printed and displayed in prominent areas of your departments. Spanish version here.

I encourage each department to display this information in high-traffic areas of your facility(s) and workspaces, both in areas intended for public and non-public (employee only) use.

All jurisdictions in the 10-county region can use the system to share critical emergency information with residents for events, such as:

• Homes evacuations from floods, wildfires or public health threats
• Shelter-in-place information during a law enforcement or public health incident
• Boil water notices or prolonged power outages
• Options to receive general, non-emergency community messages

It is important to note that newer model cell phones all receive notification from the federal government, such as Amber Alerts. WarnCentralTexas.org is a separate system, and critical tool for local first responders to reach you during an emergency.

While you’re in the system, consider registering your spouse or other family members. Additionally, we encourage you to share this link with neighbors, friends, and colleagues so they can be warned about emergencies.

Thank you in advance for participating in an effort to ensure our Central Texas community is informed and prepared to survive and recover from any emergency event.

Kharley Bagley Smith
Director
Hays County Emergency Services