City to Test Emergency Alert System on Dec. 18

City to Test Emergency Alert System on Dec. 18

Published on December 11, 2025

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

December 11, 2025

City to Test Emergency Alert System

Annual test to be conducted on December 18 at noon to build community awareness

PALO ALTO, CALIF. - The City of Palo Alto will conduct a test of its emergency alert system on Thursday, December 18 at noon. The annual test seeks to build community awareness of the City's emergency alert system. The effort also ensures residents who have registered are receiving the emergency notifications as defined though their account settings. Last year at this time, there were an estimated 6,700 unique contacts and since then unique contacts have grown to 11,464.

The City of Palo Alto uses AlertSCC, a Santa Clara County emergency notification system employed by all Santa Clara County cities, to alert the public about emergency situations such as a flood, wildfire, or other public safety incident. The alert system is one approach used to communicate and keep the public informed during an emergency to share community impacts and risks to public safety. AlertSCC is free for everyone.

The City uses its emergency alert system sparingly and only for emergency public information sharing. It is quick and simple to set up, and users can select if alerts are sent directly to your mobile device, landline, and/or email address. You decide how you want to receive alerts and designate the order by which you want to be notified. You can even select your primary language preference. To sign up for the City's emergency alert system, go to www.alertscc.com

The City has conducted an annual test of the emergency alert system since 2023. The emergency notification will note that the message is only a "test." If you already have an account, you will receive the "test" alert as a call, text message and/or email message, depending on your account preferences. Once you confirm receipt of the test notification the system will not attempt to contact you on other delivery options. If you do not confirm receipt the system will attempt to contact you on each delivery option you list. To change your account preferences before the December 18 test, log into your account at https://member.everbridge.net/453003085615038/login

Please refrain from calling the City's 24-hour dispatch center (either via 9-1-1 or via (650) 329-2413) after the test to ask questions or to get additional information. Our public safety dispatchers are not involved in this test and do not have any way to control your alerting preferences.

In addition to the City's emergency alert system, there are several other ways for the community to stay informed before, during and after an emergency, public safety incident or other event that poses a public safety risk to residents, including:

• Palo Alto Police Department Nixle alerts: https://local.nixle.com/palo-alto-police-department
• City of Palo Alto official website at www.PaloAlto.gov
• Gain real-time storm related community impacts at www.paloalto.gov/stormupdate
• City of Palo Alto Uplift Local weekly digital newsletter, sign-up at www.paloalto.gov/upliftlocalnews
• Palo Alto Emergency Public Information Recorded Line at (650) 329-2420.
• City of Palo Alto social media channels, including Nextdoor, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). Follow the City on these platforms at www.paloalto.gov/connect

Click here for answers to Frequently Asked Questions about AlertSCC.

Sign up today for the City's emergency alert system.

Sent By:

Meghan Horrigan-Taylor

Chief Communications Officer

City Manager's Office

Email:[email protected]

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