What is CincyAlert, and who runs it?

CincyAlert is the City’s opt-in text and email alerting service. The ECC says CincyAlert is used for emergency and non-emergency communications, and messages are sent to users who have opted in. The City says you can choose your preferred communication method—text, email, or both.

New/non-emergency category options (what you can opt in to)

The City’s program update lists six non-emergency CincyAlert categories. They include:

• 311 Municipal Alerts: Updates on service delivery (including items like trash pickup, street cleaning, and winter weather operations).
• Road Closures: Traffic alerts about road and sidewalk closures, including detour information for planned construction and unplanned closures.
• Engagement Opportunities: Details on upcoming community engagement opportunities, both citywide and in your neighborhood.
• Press Releases: Official announcements from the City of Cincinnati.
• Newsletter: An official City of Cincinnati newsletter.
• Test Alerts: A monthly test message to confirm CincyAlerts are delivered properly.

The City’s banner marks some of these as “new category” additions during the expansion.

Emergency updates expanded in the pilot (including active-threat situations)

The ECC says CincyAlert emergency notifications are used when there are imminent threats to life, health, and safety for residents and visitors in Cincinnati.

In the same expansion, WCPO reports the City is adding a feature that can notify subscribers about possible and confirmed active threats happening in a public place. WCPO also reports the City says alerts are intended to be limited to what people need to know to stay safe—not a real-time feed of every public-safety incident.

WCPO further reports that in some events, alerts can include actions residents should take (such as whether to shelter in place or evacuate), and that an all-clear message may be sent after first responders declare a scene safe.

How residents can choose what they receive

The City directs residents to the CincyAlert registration site to create a profile, select the alert categories they’re interested in, and choose their communication method(s) (text, email, or both). The City also says users can change preferences at any time, and that existing users who want to receive new alert types should log into their profile to update their selections.

Smart911 connection: the “Safety Profile” for 911 calls

The City says CincyAlert is powered by Smart911. Smart911 also lets users create a Safety Profile intended to automatically share vital information with 911 call-takers during a 911 call—such as address and property details, household/family member information, medical needs, and more.

According to the ECC’s FAQ, information in a Safety Profile is secure and private, used only for notification purposes or to assist first responders if needed during an emergency, and is not sold or provided to vendors/outside organizations.

What to expect next: the monthly test

The ECC says CincyAlert includes an optional monthly test. If you opt in to the monthly test at signup, you’ll receive a test message by SMS and email on the first Wednesday of each month at noon. The ECC says the monthly test is for residents who want the peace of mind of knowing they’re still registered, but it’s not required to receive emergency alerts.

Sources

• City of Cincinnati — CincyAlert expansion banner
• WCPO — Active-threat emergency notification expansion