Emergency Alerts

Delta County Alerts Logo with First Responder Logos over Image of Hotchkiss

Delta County's Emergency Alerts

Delta County's Public and Alert Warning system is composed of a local reverse notification system called Delta County Alerts, along with the FEMA Integrated Public Alert & Warning System or more commonly known as IPAWS.  These systems can be activated by Delta County 911 dispatch, or Emergency Management to notify residents and visitors about active or imminent emergencies.  These systems can be activated individually or together as the severity  and the threat to life safety increases. The default system used for the majority of public alert and warning is the Delta County Alerts system. This is the County's reverse notification system and is similar to 911 dispatch calling and sending you a text in an emergency instead of you calling 911.  

 Delta County officials encourage ALL residents, business owners and their families to sign up for notifications through Delta County Alerts as soon as possible!

During an emergency when an alert is sent via Delta County Alerts, the system will automatically post to our Delta County Alerts Facebook Page.  

Delta County Emergency Alerts icon Opens in new windowSIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY ALERTS

Past Alerts:

  1. Delta County Alert - Gas Leak - UPDATE

    This is the Delta County Sheriff's Office with an update to the Gas Leak in Delta near Palmer and West 6th Street. Black Hills Energy is on-scene and has repaired the gas line and advises the shelter in place can be lifted. Residents can resume... Read On

    Delta County Alerts Logo
  2. Delta County Alert - Gas Leak - Palmer Street - Delta

    This is the Delta County Sheriff's Office - contractors have hit a gas line near Palmer Street and West 6th Street in Delta. Residents within one block radius of 6th Street and Palmer Street in Delta are asked to shelter in place and keep all doors... Read On

    Delta County Alerts Logo

Active Incidents:

No Active incidents at this time.


How to select location in Delta County Alerts

Required Information When Signing Up

When you sign, please be sure to include the following information to ensure you receive emergency alerts:

  • First and Last Name,
  • Physical home address, 
  • Cell phone number(s) and/or landline phone number(s), 
  • Email and 
  • Answer the questions for Zip Code, Fire District and what area of the county best defines where your home is located.  

The system uses your physical address to send geographically focused alerts. If you don't include include a home address and answer the zip code, fire protection district and area of the county you live in, you risk missing out on critical emergency alerts! 

Reverse Notification System for Delta County Alerts

Delta County Alerts is the primary alerting system used by emergency management and Delta County 911 dispatch to notify residents/visitors of an emergency.   The Delta County Alerts system is an opt-in system and therefore requires residents to sign up for alerts, whereas the IPAWS notifications via Wireless Emergency Alerts and the national Emergency Alert System (EAS) alerts do not require registration. 

Who sends messages via Delta County Alerts?

Delta County Alerts are sent by Delta County 911 Dispatch and/or Delta County Emergency Management for emergency  situations where critical, timely information needs to be communicated to a large area quickly.  Alerts are only activated in emergencies by the request of the fire department, law enforcement, public health, a local, county or state government official. Delta County will also periodically test the system to ensure it is working properly and to encourage residents to sign up for alerts. 

If I sign up for Delta County Alerts, what kind of alerts will I receive?

Emergency Alerts will be sent for emergency situations that affect public health and safety such as:

  • Wildfires
  • Flash Flooding or active flooding
  • Evacuation Notices
  • Gas Leaks
  • Shelter in Place Notices 
  • Law Enforcement Activity/Active Threat to the Community 
  • Major road closures/detours 
  • Missing persons and more! 

Who is eligible to sign up for Delta County Alerts?

The Delta County Emergency Alerts system is managed by Delta County Emergency Management and Delta County 911 Dispatch as a service of the Delta County Emergency Telephone Service Authority.  As the official emergency alert system for Delta County, we provide community and emergency alerts to the Delta County 911 service area which includes all of Delta County, the Maher area and Hwy 92 south of Crawford and the Somerset and Hwy 133 areas of McClure Pass, County Road 265, and County Road 12 (Kebler Pass).  If you live, work or own property in any of these areas, you are encouraged to sign up for Delta County Alerts! 

After I register, how does the system know where I am and send me an alert?

The Delta County Alerts system has a detailed GIS map embedded in the Genasys Emergency Management System which is loaded with address data from Delta, Montrose and Gunnison Counties.  When you register your address you associate your name and contact information (phone number(s) and email(s)) to your address.  In the event of an emergency, a dispatch or emergency management can draw a polygon on the online map and select a given area or radius from a central point where to send an alert.  All addresses registered in the Delta County Alert system within that polygon will be marked to receive the alert, addresses outside the polygon area will not receive the alert. 

The Delta County Alert system also allows residents to register simply with a phone or email address. While we do NOT recommend you do this, there are registration questions that ask for your home zip code, what fire protection district you live in and to select the area of the county that best fits your home.  This allows us to select these areas and alert anyone tagged in a given fire district or geographical area, such as Fruitland Mesa.

Does the system track my cell phone and send me alerts based on my current location?

No. Delta County Alerts does not track or send alerts based on your cell phone's location - cell tower specific alerts are sent as an IPAWS WEA Alert. The Delta County Alert system is a reverse notification system and sends notification to registered physical addresses in the system. If there is an emergency occurring near your home and your address falls within the alert area,  you will receive the alert via the methods you signed up for (phone, text, and/or email) and on our Delta County Alerts Facebook page.  Delta County Alerts will reach your phone, text and/or email wherever you may be at the time, perhaps even out of state if you have a cell or data connection.  

What is IPAWS and does Delta County have access to send out Wireless Emergency Alerts to all cell phones?

IPAWS stands for the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System and was developed by FEMA to be a national alerting system to enable the President and local jurisdictions to send emergency messages to the American people within minutes of a disaster.   IPAWS has three types of alerts that can be triggered:  Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and NOAA Weather Radio.    Delta County has been a certified local alert originating agency as part of the West All Hazards Region COG since 2015 and we can send a WEA and/or EAS alert in emergencies with a severe threat to life and personal safety. In the event of a major emergency such as a rapidly moving wildfire, Emergency Management will send a Delta County Alert and WEA and potentially an EAS to be sure we reach all citizens, visitors and businesses in the area of danger.   For more information on IPAWS,  EAS and WEA alerts, please visit our IPAWS page

View All FAQs

Emergency Apps for your cell phone

Stay informed before, during and after emergencies with common emergency apps for your cell phone. These apps are FREE to install and available for both Android and Apple operating systems.