Clatsop County Prepares For Great ShakeOut With ClatsopALERTS! Test (Photo) - 10/14/25
Confirming alerts helps make the system stronger for future emergencies
ASTORIA, OR — As Clatsop County joins millions of people worldwide in the Great ShakeOut earthquake drill on October 16, Emergency Management is wrapping up its ClatsopALERTS! awareness campaign with one final step: a countywide ClatsopALERTS! test.
The Great ShakeOut is an opportunity to practice the simple safety steps of Drop, Cover, and Hold On to be ready for an earthquake. In Clatsop County, the ShakeOut is also the time to test our emergency notification system, ClatsopALERTS!, and ensure residents can receive and confirm alerts. Participating in the ShakeOut is a reminder that earthquake readiness, being informed and being prepared is a shared responsibility to help save lives.
If you have subscribed to ClatsopALERTS!, the simulated earthquake alert will arrive by text, email, or phone. The test will only be sent to those who have opted to receive alerts. When you get the message, take a moment to confirm it. Confirmation is quick, and it helps improve the system reliability for everyone.
Why Confirmation Matters
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Helps emergency managers know alerts were received
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Stops duplicate messages, reducing frustration
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Improves system performance and user experience
How ClatsopALERTS! Reaches You
When an alert is sent, ClatsopALERTS! will cycle through all the contact methods you’ve provided, phone calls, texts, and email addresses, until one of them is confirmed.
If you don’t respond, the system will try your next number or address on file. To reduce repeated calls and messages, simply confirm the alert the first time you receive it. This lets the system know you got the message and prevents duplicate notifications.
“ClatsopALERTS! only works if people sign up and also engage with the system,” said Jen Munson, Clatsop County Emergency Management Community Engagement Coordinator. “By confirming the test message, you’re helping us build a stronger, smarter tool that’s ready when it really counts – during an actual emergency.”
Didn’t Receive the Alert? We Can Help.
If you are signed up for ClatsopALERTS! and did not receive the test message during the Great ShakeOut, don’t worry. Please email alerts@emergency.clatsopcounty.gov so we can help troubleshoot your account and make sure you’re set up correctly for future alerts.
Be an Active Partner in Public Safety
Throughout September and October, Clatsop County has encouraged residents to:
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Sign up or update profiles at clatsopcounty.gov/em/page/clatsopalerts
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Add multiple addresses (home, work, school, loved ones)
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Share access or disability info so responders can help where needed
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Opt in to weather alerts for timely warnings
Confirming this month’s ShakeOut test is the final step in this campaign but we’ll be testing additional system functionality in the coming months to reach non-subscribers and visitors in Clatsop County. Together, these actions make sure ClatsopALERTS! delivers the right alert, at the right time, to the right place.
Don’t wait for the next emergency—sign up, update, and confirm.
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