Thousands of Deschutes County residents should have received an emergency text alert from the county Thursday afternoon. It’s actually just a test to make sure those who have signed up for them are still getting them.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and 911 sent out the text alert at 1 p.m. Thursday for people who signed up to received Deschutes Alerts, the county said in a statement. The system is designed to inform people of emergencies and evacuation orders.
Why the test? The county said it’s to ensure profiles of those who have subscribed are up-to-date. So, residents who didn’t get the Thursday afternoon text may need to update their profiles. It may also mean they haven’t signed up, yet.
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“The system allows us to notify people by smart phone application, text, email or phone call,” the county said. “It’s critical that everyone who lives and works in Deschutes County is signed up for Deschutes Alerts and that your information is current.”
Deschutes County said that those who received the text should follow the instructions to confirm the message, then follow the link to update their profile if they need to.
For those who didn’t receive the text, they can create or update their profile at this link. For additional help, call 541-550-4888 between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Deschutes County also has this FAQ online.
What are the evacuation levels?
According to Deschutes County, there are the three evacuation levels to watch for.
- Level 1 – “BE READY”: monitor the situation and prepare to leave
- Level 2 – “BE SET”: be ready to leave at a moment’s notice
- Level 3 – “GO”: leave immediately without delay. Do not gather belongings or attempt to protect your home. The situation is life-threatening.
Depending on the incident, residents may only get a Level 3 notice with no Level 1 or 2 notice preceding it.
