Tornado? Pandemic? Toxic spill? Kansas City wants to warn you on your phone
Kansas City has juiced up its emergency alert text messaging system and given it a new name — AlertKC.
Anyone signing up can get alerts specific down to ZIP code, and get text warnings for looming calamities like tornadoes, floods, toxic chemical spills and raging health pandemics.
Water main breaks, boil orders, road closures and other important city messages could also arrive on your phone.
The city is seeking more subscribers, said Kansas City emergency manager Gene Shepherd, and the enhanced system is ready to take it on.
“You want speed,” he said. “You want messages going out quickly without a backlog…(The new system) is much more robust and can give true emergency alerts.”
Those wanting to receive warnings can sign up from their phone by texting their ZIP code to 888777, or at www.kcmo.gov/alertkc
Joe Robertson: 816-234-4789, @robertsonkcstar
This story was originally published March 1, 2017 at 1:17 PM with the headline "Tornado? Pandemic? Toxic spill? Kansas City wants to warn you on your phone."