During severe weather and emergency situations, timely communication can keep your community safe and even save lives. Your community depends on you to keep them up to date on emergency weather conditions, but choosing the right communication method is critical. TextMyGov helps emergency management teams communicate information fast and reliably through various methods: Weather Alerts, Text Notifications, and IPAWS integration. But which one best meets your emergency communication needs?

At a glance:

• Weather Alerts: Automated National Weather Service (NWS) text alerts sent to subscribers.
• Text Notifications: Targeted text messages for events, emergencies, evacuation instructions, road closures, and community updates.
• IPAWS: Emergency alerts sent directly to all mobile devices in an affected area without requiring opt-in.

Weather Alerts are a popular solution for emergency weather communication. TextMyGov connects directly to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) to send automated alerts. You can customize alert severity levels and frequency settings to ensure residents receive the weather information most relevant to them.

The severity levels defined by the NWS include: 

• Extreme - Extraordinary threat to life and property
• Severe - Significant threat to life and/or property
• Moderate - Could cause disruptions or limited property damage
• Minor - Little or no threat to life or property

ZIP code targeting allows you to set up your area for accurate alerting based on NWS-defined areas.  

With no certification required for use, setup is fast and simple, with most municipalities finishing setup in less than a month. Our Client Relations Specialists walk you through the setup process and provide unlimited support to ensure you get the most out of your system. 

Residents opt in to the service by texting a keyword to your 5-digit alerts number and can opt out anytime by texting “STOP” to the same number. 

Text notifications are another way to get important information to your community. While not limited to weather alerts, text notifications can inform residents of severe weather events and provide local guidance on emergency procedures, road closures, boil notices, and recovery efforts. However, text notifications can be used for a wide range of purposes, including raising awareness of community events, relaying general information, and more. 

With TextMyGov, you can send alerts to specific contact groups, individual numbers, or even a selection of residents within a geographic area drawn on a map. In addition, text notifications can be scheduled ahead of time, making it easy to keep residents informed without the last-minute hassle. 

Text notifications use the same simple opt-in process as Weather Alerts, allowing residents to subscribe by texting a keyword to your 5-digit alerts number. 

TextMyGov integrates with FEMA’s IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert & Warning System) to provide alerts for urgent or life-threatening events. Specific to the LAE (Local Area Emergency) code, TextMyGov’s IPAWS integration allows emergency management teams to send alerts directly to people’s phones without requiring residents to opt in. With IPAWS even visitors to the community will receive alerts. This allows for maximum reach and awareness for critical alerts, making IPAWS a vital tool during emergency situations. 

To qualify to send IPAWS alerts, you must complete the required FEMA training and meet certain requirements to maintain eligibility.   

No single communication tool fits every emergency. Weather Alerts are ideal for automated weather updates, Text Notifications provide flexibility for local communication, and IPAWS delivers maximum reach during life-threatening situations. Together, these tools help communities stay informed before, during, and after an emergency.

These tools are not meant to replace the emergency communication methods you already have in place. Instead, we recommend adding the tools that best fit your agency’s needs to strengthen your existing emergency communication plan.

When your community is depending on you to stay informed, TextMyGov gives you the tools you need to get critical information to your residents quickly and reliably

Request a demo to talk with a representative to help determine which solution is best for your community.