Travis County and CAPCOG Reach Nearly 1.5 Million People Using Warn Central Texas

(Travis County, TX) – Travis County, working in partnership with the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG), has dramatically increased the number of cell phone devices CAPCOG can reach using Warn Central Texas. Those efforts helped emergency notifications sent on February 2, 2022, about icy conditions and frigid temperatures reach 1,427,684 contacts in the Austin metropolitan area. A few days later, messages about Austin Water’s citywide boil water notice reached about 1.2 million people. 

The Travis County Commissioners Court, led by Commissioner Brigid Shea, and staff worked diligently in recent years to engage with the public and encourage signing up for the regional notification system. In 2020, the number of cell phone users signed up for Warn Central Texas increased from 8 percent of cell phone users in the area to 60-70 percent, expanding the system’s database by 865,000 cell phone numbers.  

The efforts to increase awareness continued in 2021 and 2022. Between January 27, 2022, and February 3, 2022, the week leading up to this year's winter weather event, 2,085 people signed up to receive notifications from Warn Central Texas.  

“Being able to reach people on their cell phones is crucial as more people do away with landlines and rely more on their mobile devices to communicate,” said Brigid Shea, Travis County Commissioner Pct. 2. “Due to the changing climate, we’ll inevitably experience more weather-related disasters. Whether it’s extreme cold or wildfires, emergency notifications delivered to residents in a timely manner can be lifesaving. I’m pleased with the progress we’ve made and look forward to expanding our efforts to get lifesaving emergency notifications to people in our area.”  

CAPCOG consists of 10 counties in the Austin metropolitan area. Warn Central Texas sends emergency notifications by voice and text to cell phones, landlines, email, and more and has the ability for mass notification or customized messaging to a single home or street. It can be used for emergencies like flooding, hazardous material spills, and SWAT activations. 

“I’m very proud of the efforts Travis County and CAPCOG have made in order to communicate with the largest audience possible using Warn Central Texas,” said Chuck Brotherton, Travis County Executive for Emergency Services. “Travis County will continue to work with CAPCOG and other stakeholders to promote signing up for Warn Central Texas. Even one new contact added is worth the effort.” 

Central Texas residents can sign up for Warn Central Texas notifications by visiting https://warncentraltexas.org/.

Additionally, to be prepared for the next emergency, residents are encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts from their utility providers and have an emergency supply kit at home. For more information, visit http://www.readycentraltexas.org/.

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