Tehama County’s emergency alert system has gotten a technical makeover. Now it just need residents to get the message.
Law enforcement is asking residents to sign up for Tehama Alert, new software that sends out emergency information via phone – and by text and email.
Sheriff’s Service Officer Lisa Callaway says Tehama Alert launched in November. It cost about $16,000 per year and is being paid for with a grant from the Department of Homeland Security.
She says right now only about a third of the county is signed up to get the alerts – and virtually all are landlines. Since most people use cell phones, Callaway says many still need to be reached.
She says those that want to be the first to know about natural disasters in the county like fires, gas leaks, or floods should opt for text or email alerts. They send out quicker than phone calls. She says residents will also get messages about human-caused incidents like bomb threats or shootings — in the future maybe even about lost or missing children, and wanted or dangerous people.
You can sign up for Tehama Alert on the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office website or in person at their office, located at 22840 Antelope Boulevard, Red Bluff.