Be Informed

Being informed means knowing what to prepare for, what actions to take, and how you will get information in an emergency.

Stay Informed During An Emergency

• Get ahead start. Sign up to receive local alerts by phone, text, email or app at www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/Alert. You can also text AlertFC to 888777 to recieve a link to download the Everbridge mobile app. Everbridge is the software that powers our alerts. We recommend you list at least two ways we can contact you.
• Local government websites and social media accounts are important official sources for information. County Administration, Division of Emergency Management, Sheriff and Fire departments are good places to start for information. Bookmark and follow before an incident occurs.

Know your risks and what actions to take

• Learn the types of disasters or emergencies that may likely occur in your area. These may affect only you and your family, like a house fire or they may affect an entire community, like an earthquake or flood. See our Hazards page for information on what risks exist in Frederick County.
• Know the difference between different weather alerts such as watches and warnings and what actions to take in each. A Watch means all the ingredients are there to make the weather event. A Warning means the weather event is or will be happening. An easy way to remember is