Pittsylvania County has the ability to provide emergency messages to the public. Pittsylvania County can share customized emergency notifications with you! Get whatever kind of notifications you like to whatever email, phone number, or mobile device that you like when you sign up. Using the Emergency Community Notification System, local public safety officials can contact you directly with detailed instructions about what you should do during an emergency. This technology allows 911 to send an emergency message to land-line telephones, cellular telephones, and VOIP telephones and send emails, and text messages in a specified geographic area.

How to Sign Up

If you are interested in receiving customized notifications from Pittsylvania County you can sign up in one of two ways:

• Text PITTCO to 99411 and click the link in the reply message.
• Visit the Pittsylvania County Community Notification Enrollment page

Once you get to the signup page, you can either create a managed account or enroll as a guest. If you enroll as a guest you will not be able to update your contact information, but with a managed account you will be able to shift your location as needed. After selecting the type of account you want to make, you will input your information, including name, address, and whatever contact information you want Pittsylvania County to send emergency alerts to, and select the types of notifications you want to receive.

Types of Notifications

When you sign up for emergency notifications, you will be required to receive all emergency notifications. Hazards that may result in the use of this system for emergency alerts could include chemical hazards, boil water notices, nearby criminal activity, or any event that poses an imminent danger to the health and safety of local citizens. Typical "protective actions" may include evacuating to a safe location, or sheltering-in-place until the crisis is over. Be ready to respond quickly if you get a call.

In addition to the emergencies, which are often geographically specific, you can sign up to receive general notifications from Pittsylvania County, as well as severe weather warnings for tornados, severe thunderstorms, and flash floods.

Where You Can Get Notifications Delivered

You can sign up to get Pittsylvania County emergency and general notifications to any device that you like! You may sign up for text alerts to be delivered to your mobile phone, phone calls to be delivered to your mobile and home phones, and/or emails sent to whichever email address you like. When you create your profile you can add as many phone numbers and email addresses as you like.

How to Prepare to Receive Alerts

• Do not hang up, some people mistake this urgent warning for a telemarketing call because it is automatically dialed and is a recorded message.
• Listen to the full alert, and quickly take notes to help you remember the details.
• Follow the instructions in the message exactly.
• Do not call 911 unless you have an actual emergency at your location.
• Stay off the phone during the emergency except to pass the message on to others who do not have a landline telephone.
• Tune into local radio or television to get more information.

What to Do if You Receive a Call

• Make sure you have access to a land-line telephone. If you do not have a land-line telephone, arrange in advance to have one of your neighbors pass on the alert to you.
• Remove "active" solicitor blocking from your phone. Use a different blocking technology, or register your phone number with the National Do-Not Call Registry at 888-382-1222.
• Keep a paper and pen near your phone to write down important instructions. The emergency information will not be repeated.
• Talk to other people in your household or office about this alert system. The person who answers the phone should be ready to receive the message and let others know about what protective actions they should take.