YAVAPAI COUNTY, Arizona — Recent flooding in Globe, Arizona, served as a powerful reminder of how critical timely information is during emergencies. During that event, the Rave/Smart911 alerting system was successfully used to rebroadcast National Weather Service warnings, issue multiple shelter-in-place notifications, and send one evacuation notice—helping keep residents safe and informed as conditions rapidly changed.
While Yavapai County was deployed to assist with messaging during the incident, local emergency managers emphasize that the same life-saving alerting system is already available here at home. In addition to Yavapai County, the City of Prescott, Town of Prescott Valley, Town of Chino Valley, City of Cottonwood, Town of Camp Verde, and the Town of Wickenburg all use Rave/Smart911 to deliver critical alerts during emergencies. Other Arizona counties including Gila, Coconino, Mohave, and Maricopa also rely on the platform for real-time emergency communication.
The Rave Alert system’s capabilities extend far beyond weather warnings. Across the nation, the platform has proven its ability to deliver critical, life-saving warnings and facilitate rapid response.
For instance, the Arizona National Park Service used the system during a Flash Flood Rescue and Immediate Danger Notification. When flash floods put fishermen at severe risk in the Colorado River—with one waist-deep in quicksand—the Rave Alert immediately notified the individuals. The National Park Service was able to reach the endangered individual before the flood waters fully surged, demonstrating the system’s ability to deliver targeted, life-saving warnings in high-risk, geographically specific areas.
Furthermore, the platform’s ability to use multiple communication channels ensures unparalleled speed and reach. In Eaton County Central Dispatch, when a missing 66-year-old subject with dementia could not be located, a Rave Alert was sent simultaneously utilizing Voice, Text, Common Alerting Protocol, and the Smart911 app. A resident spotted the subject after receiving the alert, and the individual was located in just four minutes, showcasing how a single platform can achieve the widest possible community reach when seconds count.
For information about the Yavapai County Office of Emergency Management, please contact Ashley Ahlquist at 928-777-7547 or email ashley.ahlquist@yavapaiaz.gov Or visit www.YavapaiReady.gov
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