June is Severe Weather Month
June is known for it's severe storms here in Colorado. Severe weather can include: tornados, hail, high winds and lightening. Severe weather can move into the area very rapidly so it is very important for citizens to be aware and alert to the possibility of these events. Tornado sirens, better known as outdoor warning systems, are designed for one purpose – to alert people who are outdoors of potential tornadoes. We do not have tornado sirens in Douglas County because the occurence of tornados in our county is very low, the cost is prohibitive (approximately $30 million for just the initial installation), and the terrain impacts the effectiveness of the sirens.
We recommend that citizens purchase a NOAA radio with a battery backup which provides direct notification from the National Weather Service. We also recommend that citizens sign up for the free Weather Alerts which are customized to their address provided by Channel 9 http://www.9news.com/weather/e-mail/customcast/default.aspx , Channel 4 http://cbs4denver.com/local/Text.Alerts.cbs4.2.594147.html and Channel 7 http://www.localwireless.com/wireless/signup.cfm?sid=28&pageid=textalert1_main.
This information is up to the minute and the service allows you to tailor your alerts to the level that you would like to receive i.e. watch vs. warning.
Preparedness begins with the individual, and the above are easy steps to take to be more prepared.
If there is a threat of severe flooding in an area, we will notify the public through our 3N/Everbridge electronic alert system which is used for many types of emergency situations in the county.. This system does capture existing landlines but requires sign-up for other types of devices (cellphones, pagers, blackberry, e-mail). Here is the link to sign up: https://www.everbridge.net/OptIn/citizens/optin.action?party=136368 This system is not practical for tornado alerts because of the time it takes to notify in a county-wide event (about 20 minutes to all citizens).
The Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Guide is an important tool in preparing yourself and your family for a variety of emergencies. The Guide touches on topics such as: emergency alerts and warnings; West Nile Virus, Pandemic and Avian influenzas; severe weather readiness; wildland fires; home safety; family emergency information and emergency kits; terrorism; disasters and your business; Homeland Security Advisory System recommendations; school safety; senior safety; special needs; enjoying the outdoors safely; living with wildlife and wildlife diseases; helpful phone numbers; and more.
Preparing Your Pets for Emergencies »
Be Ready and Be Prepared. Information that citizens need to know and precautions that can be taken.
Are you prepared for Colorado's Weather? Click on "Colorado Severe Weather" to to see what you can do to get the facts.
The Douglas County Emergency Management Special Needs Registry is a database containing information about individuals in Douglas County with special needs who may require assistance in the event of a disaster. The information may also be used to assist emergency personnel and volunteers in providing assistance. Participation in the Special Needs Registry is voluntary.
An influenza pandemic is a global outbreak of disease that occurs when a new influenza A virus appears or “emerges” in the human population, causes serious illness, and then spreads easily from person to person worldwide.
Douglas County will now be using 3n InstaCom™ Citizen Alert, an emergency notification system provided by 3n Global, the leading global emergency notification system provider, to communicate with thousands of businesses and residents in minutes in an emergency. 
