Emergency Alert Gap Could Put Montana Residents at Risk During Wildfire Season

MISSOULA — A dangerous misconception about emergency alerts could put Montana residents at risk as wildfire season approaches, according to Missoula County emergency officials.

Many people believe they’ll automatically receive evacuation alerts on their cellphones because they get Amber Alerts, but that’s not the case. Unlike federal Wireless Emergency Alerts, local evacuation notifications require residents to opt in through Smart911.

“People may erroneously believe that because they get things like Amber Alerts sent to their cellphones, they will automatically get alerts about evacuations or other emergency info,” said Adriane Beck, director of Missoula County’s Office of Emergency Management. “Those alerts fall under the federal Wireless Emergency Alert system, which Missoula County OEM can initiate, but only under extreme circumstances, when the impacts of a hazard may only be minutes away.”

The distinction matters because local Smart911 alerts provide earlier warning than federal alerts, which are reserved for situations where danger is imminent and residents may have only minutes to react.

Two-Stage Evacuation System

Missoula County uses a two-stage evacuation process designed to give residents maximum time to prepare and evacuate safely:

Evacuation WARNING: Current or projected hazards may require immediate evacuation. This gives residents time to make final preparations, check their “go bag,” move people who need extra help, and check on neighbors who may need assistance.

Evacuation ORDER: Current conditions present an imminent threat, and residents should evacuate immediately.

While emergency officials will make every effort to first issue an evacuation warning, an evacuation order may be issued during a rapidly unfolding event with no prior notice. Residents don’t have to wait for an order to evacuate.

Targeted Alerts Reduce Fatigue

Smart911 alerts are highly targeted, sending notifications only to residents whose addresses are directly affected. For example, after the July 2024 windstorm, Missoula County sent localized alerts about water use in the South Hills, but only residents with South Hills addresses received them.

This targeted approach helps reduce alert fatigue and keeps messages relevant and actionable, Beck said.

How to Sign Up

Residents can sign up for Smart911 at smart911.com or by downloading the smartphone app. The service is free and secure, delivering location-specific alerts to help keep residents safe during emergencies.

While Smart911 emergency alerts are automatically delivered to landlines, local emergency services cannot send these alerts to mobile devices without permission from the user.

To ensure they receive alerts, residents should verify their phone number within the app or website and log into their account every six months to keep their profile active.

The service also allows residents to create a safety profile with important information about their household, including medical conditions, family members and pets, which can help first responders during emergencies.