VIDEO: A law enforcement incident happens in your neighborhood, or an evacuation notice is sent out amid a nearby blazing wildfire. What’s the quickest way to get the updates you need the most? For Washoe County Homeland Security Program Coordinator Jessica Adams-Lopes, the answer is Smart911. We immediately receive the phone call, and then we are on that app trying to get that alert out as fast as possible. So our goal is to have it out within minutesโฆ. It really ensures that they’re going to be notified,” Adams-Lopes said. The free service delivers updates how you prefer them, whether that’s text, email, a call, or the app itself.
Back in September 2024, county officials upgraded to Smart911 from an alert system called Code Red. “It wasn’t as user-friendly. It was pretty clunky on the back end for us. And we got a lot of feedback that citizens were not receiving the alerts,” said Adams Lopes. One of the agencies the county relies on for accurate alert information is Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue, especially during peak fire season. “Since we serve unincorporated areas of the county, as does the sheriff’s office, so we work in tangent, notifying Washoe County Emergency Management of those areas that need to be evacuated,” said TMFR Communications Manager Adam Mayberry.
