Public mass notification systems have become a critical component of emergency preparation and response. Public Safety officials utilize various systems to rapidly send out messages when there is a perceived, emerging, or imminent situation that may require community action, such as evacuation. 

Costa Mesa participates in the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS). IPAWS is the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) national system for local alerting that provides authenticated emergency and life-saving information to the public through mobile phones using Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), to radio and television via the Emergency Alert System (EAS), on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's NOAA Weather Radio, and to digital devices and services via the IPAWS All-Hazards Information Feed.

The City of Costa Mesa can access IPAWS through the following four (4) alert methods as needed:

NIXLE – The City’s day-to-day SMS text notification and alert system.  Residents may ‘opt-in’ to receive important information via text on their cellular phone. Information shared via Nixle may include information about public safety including weather alerts, ongoing law incidents, traffic impacts, upcoming events that may impact them, unsafe activity in their area, etc. Residents can sign up by texting their Costa Mesa zip code to 888-777.

WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERT (WEA) – Geographically targeted text messages that alert the public of eminent threats to their safety in that area. Any cellular phone in the selected message area that is turned on, not in airplane mode, and has emergency alerts enabled will receive a WEA (cellular carriers must participate in the WEA program).  Proper use of WEA includes: (1) Imminent Threat Alerts, (2) Amber, Silver, or other Critical Missing Alerts, (3) Public Safety Messages such as evacuation orders or others that convey information to save lives or property.

AlertOC (EVERBRIDGE) – The County’s mass notification system designed to keep Orange County residents and businesses informed of emergencies. By registering with AlertOC, time-sensitive voice messages from the City of Costa Mesa may be sent to your home, mobile, or business phone. Text messages may also be sent to mobile phones, e-mail accounts, and hearing-impaired receiving devices.

Based on the severity of the event, AlertOC may be used to contact residents by one or all of the following methods:

• Home phone
• Work phone
• Mobile phone
• Email
• Text (SMS) message

Residents are encouraged to sign up for this important notification service at AlertOC.org (link is external). 

Only authorized public safety officials are allowed access into the system; however, if you have additional questions please visit the County website for answers to Frequently Asked Questions (link is external).

EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM (EAS) – Provides Countywide emergency alerts on radio and television stations. Used during regional disasters. This would not be used for a city specific incident but is another way residents may be informed of critical, life safety information in the County of Orange.

Staying informed during any incident is important to keep you and your family safe. Sign up today!