Tacoma’s Emergency Notification System

This system allows us to send alerts to specific areas affected by an emergency. If you don’t include your specific address, you’ll get every alert sent to anywhere in Tacoma, so you won’t know precisely when you need to evacuate/react and when you’re okay.

Anyone and everyone. It’s free to sign up, and there are no requirements. Examples of who should sign up include but are not limited to:

• Residents
• Employees
• Business Owners
• Commuters
• Visitors
• Family/friends not in Tacoma who worry about you

We will use the Emergency Notification when your life and safety are at risk. We will reserve this for major incidents, like a lahar, wildfire, flood, earthquake, etc., where you need to know key information such as evacuation or sheltering in place.

Please remember that when you register to receive alerts, you can select the types of messages you wish to receive and your preferred means of communication and adjust these settings at any time.

No, registering is free. Sign up on our enrollment website and select your preferred means of communication.

Tacoma Alert uses the Genasys system, which has the caller ID number (253) 343-0911 for Phone Notifications and 65513 for Email Notifications. We suggest you program these numbers into your cell phone as a “new contact” and use “Tacoma Alert” as the contact name. If you need to replay the message received, you can dial this number and listen to the message again in its entirety.

Tacoma Alert is an important tool to help keep you informed and prepared for emergencies in our area. Get accurate information quickly. We will send messages to alert you of emergency details, instructions, or precautions that you need to make well-informed decisions and remain safe. This system is precise enough to geotarget people within an exact area of impact so that only those who are affected by an emergency are notified in a timely manner.

Don’t assume your information is in the system, even if you filled out an emergency profile with South Sound 911 (which we recommend doing also). Please register your phone number (s) using the links above to ensure you get the messages you want and how you want to receive them.

You can register multiple phone numbers and/or email addresses for your location when you register for Tacoma Alert. We highly recommend you register at least one phone number and email address to ensure that you will receive alerts during a power outage or an incident that may occur late at night when you are generally asleep.

Yes, you can register more than one Tacoma address on Tacoma Alert and assign the contact info for each address. If you want to sign up in a neighboring city, like Puyallup, Sumner, University Place, or Bonney Lake, you must sign up through their system, not Tacoma Alert. The alert systems do not share your information with each other.

The system is address-based, so you have two options:

1. Use the app instead. That way, if we send an emergency alert to an area where you and your phone are located, you’ll see the message if you open the app.
2. You can sign up using our address (747 Market Street) or where you usually are in Tacoma, like the Tacoma Dome, your church, or your favorite coffee shop. Remember, though, that you’ll get any emergency alert that affects that area, even in the middle of the night when you’re likely not there. This is your choice, but the app and following us on social media might work better for you.

Also keep in mind:

• We do not recommend signing up without including a specific address because doing so means you’ll get every emergency alert we send anywhere in Tacoma. Alerts work best if they are tailored to your location.
• If you have relatives in Tacoma or routinely check in on someone, you can sign up using their address to be notified if an emergency affects them. This might be a good idea if they’re not tech-savvy or need mobility assistance.

No, this is in addition to PC Alert. We encourage you to subscribe to PC Alert for Pierce County Emergency Notifications for areas outside of Tacoma. Tacoma Alert is how you will receive Tacoma-specific notifications.

Sign up for PC Alerts

Yes, we recommend you sign up for at least the app. In the unlikely event we have an emergency during your stay, you are less familiar with the city/area and need urgent information quickly to remain safe. If you’d like to fully sign up to receive messages, use the address where you’re staying, and remember to unsubscribe when your stay is over.

A smoke alert signifies a hazard in your area that requires attention. Here is a sample smoke alert message: “This message is from the Tacoma Fire Department: Please be advised. Smoke may be present in your area due to a large fire currently burning at [location]. We recommend staying indoors, closing your windows, and avoiding the smoke, if possible, especially for those with respiratory sensitivities. If you are experiencing prolonged smoky conditions affecting your breathing, you should relocate to a public space or the home of a family member or friend where the smoke is not a problem. If you cannot relocate to a smoke-free area, please call 9-1-1 for assistance.”

The decision depends on how close you are to the fire and the amount of smoke in your indoor space. Tips from the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and the Washington State Department of Health, such as turning off your furnace/air intake systems, establishing a clean room, creating a DIY air filter, or relocating to a smoke-free environment, can help mitigate the effects of light smoke. If smoke conditions are dangerous and you need assistance relocating, call 911.

The Tacoma Fire Department (TFD) utilizes air monitoring equipment to assess toxic chemical levels during a fire incident. If detected toxins reach severe levels, an evacuation order may be issued. When evacuating, consider the Five Ps of Evacuation for Wildfires and Significant Fire Events (ready.gov).

• People: Ensure the safety of individuals, pets, and other animals.
• Prescriptions: Gather medications, dosages, medical equipment, batteries, power cords, eyeglasses, and hearing aids.
• Papers: Secure important documents in hard or electronic copies on external hard drives or thumb drives.
• Personal needs: Pack clothes, food, water, a first aid kit, cash, phones, chargers, and items for individuals with disabilities or special needs.
• Priceless items: Include pictures, irreplaceable mementos, and valuables.