Body of News Release
Marin County, CA – The County of Marin recently upgraded AlertMarin, the official emergency notification system used to deliver critical information and potentially life-saving instructions to the community. The County encourages all who live or work in Marin to sign up for emergency alerts at Emergency.MarinCounty.gov to continue to receive important notifications.
As part of the transition, the Marin County Fire Department and the Marin County Sheriff’s Office deactivated their Nixle accounts that were historically used for notifications related to road closures and community updates. Despite the County’s transition away from the Nixle program, many of Marin’s cities and towns will continue to use Nixle to provide community updates.
AlertMarin is Marin’s primary system for delivering urgent emergency notifications, including evacuation orders and other life-safety messages. On April 3, the system was successfully upgraded without any disruption to service. The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) transferred all subscriber information to the new platform, which now offers an easier way for users to manage their contact details, register multiple addresses, and opt in to additional notifications such as prescribed burns and significant weather alerts.
“While we understand the transition raised concerns with the loss of Nixle, the OEM worked to integrate the features the public valued, such as prescribed burn notifications, into the enhanced AlertMarin system,” said OEM Director Steven Torrence. “These improvements allow Marin County agencies to send targeted alerts to those who want them, while ensuring we are not over-alerting the public. Every step was taken with the goal of improving how we keep Marin informed, safe, and prepared.”
The decision to transition to a more robust alert and warning system was largely driven by community feedback. Among the most common concerns raised were the inaccessibility of emergency alerts for Spanish-speaking residents, the overly complicated sign-up and information management process, and the widespread confusion between AlertMarin and Nixle. The upgraded AlertMarin system directly addresses these issues to improve emergency communications across the county.
Language accessibility during emergencies
California’s Assembly Bill 1638 requires jurisdictions to send emergency alerts in any language spoken by 5% or more of the population that speaks English less than “very well.” In Marin, based on American Community Survey data, Spanish is the only language that meets this threshold. Under the previous system, the ability to send alerts in Spanish was limited and often delayed.
Solution: The updated AlertMarin system includes a fully Spanish sign-up experience and allows residents to select their preferred language for receiving alerts. Additionally, the new platform supports templated emergency messages for all hazards and offers an automated text-to-speech function, greatly improving the timeliness and accuracy of alerts issued in both English and Spanish. Additionally, the newly enhanced program will allow for the AlertMarin system to support up to 20 additional languages in the future.
Improved user experience
Community members frequently reported that the sign-up process for AlertMarin was too complicated and time-consuming, requiring the creation and management of a user account. This became a barrier for many residents, especially older adults or those less comfortable with technology.
Solution: The new AlertMarin platform eliminates the need for a user account. Residents can now sign up using only their contact information and register up to five locations, significantly reducing the time and effort required to enroll. The process now takes under five minutes, making it more accessible and user-friendly for all Marin County residents.
Clarifying AlertMarin vs. Nixle
Many community members were unclear about the difference between AlertMarin and Nixle, with many assuming they were the same platform or served the same purpose. The confusion led to a mistaken belief that being signed up for Nixle was sufficient for receiving emergency alerts. However, Nixle is not an emergency alerting system; it does not send phone calls or allow for text messages that exceed a limited quantity of characters, both of which are essential to demand attention and provide direction during critical events.
Solution: The upgraded AlertMarin system is now the single official emergency alerting tool used by County OEM and all emergency response agencies across the county. While some local cities or towns may continue using Nixle for general awareness messages (such as road closures and community updates), AlertMarin is the only system designed to issue targeted, life-saving alerts by phone call, text, and email in real-time and in multiple languages.
Emergency preparedness remains one of the top concerns identified by Marin County residents in ongoing community feedback surveys. In recognition of this, the Marin County Board of Supervisors continues to prioritize disaster readiness and response, directing OEM and all supporting County departments.
OEM provides emergency management services countywide, supporting 11 cities and towns and more than 300 special districts. It leads coordination across jurisdictions and develops comprehensive strategies for preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. AlertMarin is a key tool in this system, enabling all public safety partners to deliver timely and accurate information to the Marin community, complementing local messaging and ensuring clear, coordinated communication during emergencies.
“As we continue our work to invest in modern technology and stronger coordination to protect Marin communities,” Torrence said, “we ask residents to do their part by staying informed, prepared, and connected. That begins with ensuring you are signed up for local emergency alerts at Emergency.MarinCounty.gov and that your contact details and addresses in the AlertMarin system are up to date.”