SoCoAlert emergency alert exercise in northwest Sonoma County on Thursday

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Thursday, Sonoma County will be conducting a test of the SoCoAlert emergency notification system at noon in northwest Sonoma County. The County Department of Emergency Management and partners have collaborated on planning the exercise and conducting outreach in the targeted areas. Testing the efficiency of messaging to Spanish speaking residents was a priority for the exercise planners.

”The exercise in northwest Sonoma County will be beneficial for the community to learn and experience the County’s alert and warning system” said District 5 Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, Board of Supervisors. “Individuals and families should sign up today through SoCoAlert.com and be ready for the exercise on Thursday.”

Starting at noon, SoCoAlert messages will be sent to addresses within the northwest Sonoma County south of Mendocino County, west of Highway 101, east of the Pacific Ocean and north of the Stewarts Point – Skaggs Springs Road/Canyon Road. This area encompasses in part the neighborhoods of Sea Ranch (zones 1A1 and 1A2), Annapolis (zones 1B1 and 1B2), Mount Tom and Kelly Road (zone 1B3) areas around Lake Sonoma (zones 1B4, 2A2, 2A3, 2A4), and north and south of Cloverdale (zones 2A1 and 2F1). The incorporated city of Cloverdale will NOT be in this exercise at this time. Exercise activity is limited to participating agencies and communities. Residents in the area who are not registered with SoCoAlert may still receive an alert because the alert system uses phone numbers from utility records and other public sources.

The exercise on Thursday is targeted to specific evacuation zones, with the opportunity for the community to provide feedback. All SoCoAlerts are sent in English and Spanish.

"Alerts prepare the community for emergencies and are critical to saving lives" said District 4 Supervisor James Gore, Board of Supervisors. "We all have a part in emergency response and this is an opportunity for northwest Sonoma County to engage, prepare and practice for real-life scenarios."

If you live in northwest Sonoma County and would like to participate in the exercise, please sign up with SoCoAlert at SoCoAlert.com. Registering for SoCoAlert is important for all community members. In a real emergency an alert would be sent to registered phones or emails registered with SoCoAlert.

More information about the exercise and the post-exercise survey: https://socoemergency.org/get-ready/events-exercises/#3-23-SoCoAlert-Exercise

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Media Contact:
Gina Stocker, Communications Specialist 
publicaffairs@sonoma-county.org
(707) 565-3040
575 Administration Drive, Suite 104A
Santa Rosa, CA 95403