Black Hawk County will begin utilizing the Wireless Emergency
Notification System (WENS) known as “Alert Iowa” on January 9th.
Alert Iowa is a Mass Notification system that allows residents in participatingcounties to sign up for emergency alerts from local officials. The mass
notification system is funded by Iowa Homeland Security and EmergencyManagement and saves the county $36,000 annually over the cost of systems used
previously.
Frank Magsamen, Chair of the Black Hawk County Emergency Management Commission,suggests all individuals and businesses take the time to visit Black Hawk County's Alert
Iowa registration page andadd contact information to include cellular phones and other non-traditional
phones as well as email and text addresses. To receive urgent messages yourcontact information must be in the database. In particular, those who should
register include businesses and individuals who have unlisted phone numbers,have changed their phone number recently, those who use a cellular phone
exclusively or have VoIP phone service (such as Vonage, magicJack, etc.) astheir primary numbers.
Citizens can also register for this service by using the Alert Iowa links found on either the right or left side of nearly every page on the City's website.
Those without Internet access may call (319) 291-4373 Monday through Friday
from 8 am to 4 pm for registration options. Required information includes astreet address (physical address, no P.O. boxes) for location purposes and a
primary phone number. Additional phone numbers, email and text addresses mayalso be submitted.
More information about the Alert Iowa system is available on the Alert
Iowa webpage or by calling Black Hawk County EmergencyManagement at (319) 291-4373.