Frequently Asked Questions
CincyAlert is used by the City of Cincinnati to send emergency notifications when there are imminent threats to life, health and safety for residents and visitors in Cincinnati. In addition, you may opt-in to other non-emergency alert categories, such as those for special events or updates about City services. When weather alerts are issued for Hamilton County by the National Weather Service, users who opt-in to receive those respective alerts via Alert HC (in the same system) will be notified.
Any information that you provide in your Safety Profile is secure and private. Your information will be used only for notification purposes or to assist first responders if needed during an emergency. Your information will not be sold or provided to any vendor or outside organization.
Once you have registered to receive notifications, it is important that you keep your profile current. If your contact information changes, please remember to update your information in your profile. You can change your information by logging in to your account on this website. Periodically, you will be prompted by email to go into your profile and provide updates to personal or contact information.
When you receive text messages from CincyAlert, Alert Hamilton County, or Smart911, they will be sent from any of the following short codes: 226787, 67283, 78015, 81437, and 22911. We encourage you to add these text numbers into your mobile phone as multiple numbers in a single contact to easily identify text messages that are alerts.
If you choose to opt-in to the monthly test message when signing up, you will receive a test message by SMS and email on the first Wednesday of each month at noon. The monthly test is opt-in for those who want the peace of mind of knowing they are still registered, but it is not required to receive emergency alerts.
Message from ECC Director Bill Vedra
The dedicated team of professionals in the Cincinnati Emergency Communications Center proudly serve the people who live, work and visit Cincinnati. Day after day, call after call, 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, the ECC staff stand ready to assist those in need and support first responders. The work of 911 emergency telecommunicators and 311 customer service representatives often goes unseen, but their impact is felt every day by thousands of people.
Each day we are focused on helping, and also on improving. We have our sights set on being the best metropolitan 911 and 311 center in America, and plan to continuously evolve as we fulfill our high-level mission: Protecting the Queen City.
Performance & Data
Transparency is a cornerstone of our philosophy. We believe in sharing data about our performance openly and consistently. By doing so, we aim to not only showcase our achievements but also demonstrate our commitment to accountability and improvement.
Our approach involves leveraging data to identify areas of improvement and implementing strategies to enhance our performance continually. Through meticulous analysis and a proactive mindset, we strive to raise the bar in 911 and 311 communication services.
Smart911
Have you created a Smart911 Safety Profile for you and your household members? By doing so, you will make potentially lifesaving information available to our call-takers in the event you or a family member calls 911 in Cincinnati. Setting up a profile can take as little as 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how much information you wish to provide. There is no fee to participate.
Sign Up for Alerts
CincyAlert, powered by Smart911, is the official emergency notification system of the City of Cincinnati. By registering for CincyAlert and Smart911, the community is more informed and better prepared in the event of an emergency.
With CincyAlert, users can choose from different alert categories to keep themselves and their families safe. The system is completely customizable and allows users to choose which alerts they want to receive, and how they want to receive them. CincyAlert can notify users via text message and email for most alert categories, as well as phone call notification for urgent emergency alerts.