MISSOULA, Mont. – The Missoula County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) reminded residents to sign up for emergency notifications with the intensity of wildfires burning through the region. The emergency notifications mean receiving timely information for evacuation warnings and orders.
OEM encouraged residents to sign up for Smart911 at smart911.com or to download the smartphone app.
As emergency alerts are issued, Missoula County has a two-stage evacuation process.
For evacuation warnings, current or projected hazards require immediate attention. Residents can make final preparations such as a go bag, move people who need extra help, and check on neighbors who may need assistance.
For evacuation orders, conditions present an imminent threat, danger or loss of life to people in the affected area. Residents should evacuate immediately.
Smart911 is a free service that delivers timely, location-specific alerts that help keep residents safe during emergencies and disasters. For app users, residents must opt in to receive alerts on their cellphones. Local emergency services can’t send alerts to mobile devices without permissions. Smart911 emergency alerts are automatically delivered to landlines.
Many methods are used to share information during an emergency, such as social media posts, but alerts are the quickest and most efficient way they can deliver information about possible evacuations directly to those impacted.