Whether it is a road closure, police activity or other emergency situation, Garfield County residents have multiple ways to stay informed during emergencies, but only if you’re signed up for alerts.

There are three key notification platforms: Everbridge, ReachWell, and the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, or IPAWS. The three systems offer residents options to receive important updates, from road closures to evacuation orders, in the most convenient way possible.

Everbridge

Garfield County 911 Operations Manager Thomas Holman, explained how the county uses these layered platforms to alert residents and improve communication during emergencies.

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“Everbridge is our primary system,” Holman said. “It’s used for things like road closures or larger emergency events.”

Holman emphasized that residents need to sign up for Everbridge through the county’s website in order to receive these notifications. The system has been in place for several years and is widely used for county-wide alerts.

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ReachWell

For those looking for real-time updates in their preferred language, the ReachWell app offers more accessibility and flexibility.

“ReachWell isn’t geographically specific,” Holman said. “You’ll get notifications about anything happening across the county, whether you live in Battlement Mesa or Rifle.”

Residents who prefer a more comprehensive approach can download the ReachWell app, which is available on both Android and iOS platforms. This system is relatively new but has become a useful tool for residents who want broader county coverage.

IPAWS

The third platform, IPAWS, has been historically reserved for large-scale emergencies like natural disasters or mass evacuations. However, Garfield County has recently begun using IPAWS for more localized events where immediate public safety action is required.

“We’ve recently added IPAWS for situations where we need people to take action, like shelter in place or evacuate,” Holman said. “If you have a cell phone and you’re in the area of an alert, you’ll get the notification—there’s no need to sign up for this one.”

The shooting at Glenwood Meadows on Labor Day, where some residents felt uninformed during the event, sparked discussions about the importance of these emergency alert systems. Holman acknowledged that while these platforms are in place, it’s crucial for residents to understand how they work and sign up for the ones that require registration.

“I would encourage people to sign up and be active,” Holman said. “We want this community to feel safe and informed, and these are the best ways to do that.”

Holman explained that even visitors traveling through Garfield County will receive IPAWS alerts if they enter a designated area during an emergency making the system a valuable tool for localized emergencies that require immediate attention.

Feedback and how to sign up

Residents are encouraged to stay engaged with Garfield County’s emergency alert systems and make sure they’re signed up for Everbridge and aware of the ReachWell app’s capabilities.

“If something happens and you don’t get notified, let us know,” Holman said. “Sometimes it’s a technical issue or how someone signed up, but we want to ensure everyone stays informed.”

For those interested in receiving county emergency alerts, visit bit.ly/garco911 to sign up for Everbridge and learn more about the ReachWell app.