Frequently Asked Questions

Signing up for AlertSCC is one of the easiest steps you can take to prepare yourself and your family for an unexpected event. It's free, and it takes only minutes.

AlertSCC can reach you wherever you are to provide information and instructions in a variety of emergency situations, which may include:

• Flooding, wildfires and subsequent evacuations
• Public safety incidents, including crimes, that immediately affect your neighborhood
• Post-disaster information about shelters, transportation, or supplies

The AlertSCC emergency notification system will be used for a variety of notifications related to earthquakes, fires, crime incidents, hazardous material incidents, and infectious disease information. AlertSCC will send messages to the E-911 database, White Pages, Yellow Pages, and all registrations in AlertSCC.​​

AlertSCC combines the speed of the Internet with the massive reach of wireless communications networks and the traditional phone systems to send alerts to Santa Clara County residents and visitors.

AlertSCC allows authorized personnel from your city and the County to send messages simultaneously to phone numbers included in the E-911 database, White Pages, Yellow Pages, and to every phone number, SMS address, and email address you sign up:

• Voice messages reach your home phone and cell phone
• Text messages reach your cell phone and other text-capable wireless devices
• Messages reach your e-mail address
• Messages reach TTY receiving devices for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals
   

Based on the nature, location, and scope of an emergency, you may receive alerts from your city or the County. For example, in the event of a public safety incident immediately affecting your neighborhood, an alert would likely be from your city. In a natural disaster affecting the entire region, you may receive emergency response information from your city, the County, or both.

AlertSCC uses information from the E-911 database, White Pages, and Yellow Pages to send phone messages, so your landline home or business phone number should already be included. However, the only cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses that are included are those that people sign up at AlertSCC.com. To receive alerts regardless of where you are, sign up all of your phone numbers - home, work and cell - and all of your email addresses.​​

Update your contact information in AlertSCC so you can receive information and instructions in the event of an emergency.​​

Yes, San Bernardino County California as well as Harris County, Texas (where Houston is located) both have “Ready” apps from QuickSeries.​

Yes, the information you enter in ReadySCC is stored on your phone and is not uploaded to either QuickSeries or County servers. 

The only information the County receives about the App is how many times it has been downloaded.​

Currently, AlertSCC messages are sent in English. We hope to enhance AlertSCC in the future. Even though AlertSCC messages are in English, they can still be helpful to individuals who prefer a language other than English, alerting them that an emergency is happening and that they should seek additional information from news sources in their preferred language.​

In extreme emergencies, AlertSCC will try to contact you at all your phone number and contact points, whether provided by you, the E-911 database, the White Pages, or the Yellow Pages.​

No. AlertSCC will supplement the region’s existing emergency communication methods, thus augmenting public safety and first responder services. It will not take the place of the 911 and other communication and notification systems, such as radio systems, that police, fire and other emergency personnel currently use. Television, radio and County/city web sites will continue to broadcast important announcements as well. If your city already has a mass notification system, it will be maintained until it is transitioned into AlertSCC.​​

Yes, but only if you sign up a phone number outside the County with AlertSCC.​​

In general, the system has been found to work with these devices. However, there are several varieties of call screening devices which use differing protocols for screening, so some may require pre-programming to allow the County's or city's telephone number to pass through. ​​

If a line is busy or unanswered, AlertSCC will try to call again. If the phone is answered by a voicemail or answering machine, the message will be left on the answering device.​