Fort Worth is introducing a new alert system for weather emergencies.
“Fort Worth Texas Alerts” is an emergency alert system designed to let residents know about potential weather hazards such as tornadoes, thunderstorms, and other kinds of severe weather, according to a press release from the city.
It can also make residents of Fort Worth, and other people in North Texas, aware of other emergencies, such as acts of terrorism and human-created disasters, such as chemical spills.
“These alerts are issued by the Office of Emergency Management and within the registration process, you can also choose to receive optional weather warnings issued by the National Weather Service,” the press release reads.
This new emergency alert system replaced a previous one called Nixle.
The press release said that people who were previously registered for Nixle would have to re-register for Fort Worth Texas Alerts.
The service is free, apart from standard messaging fees.
The FAQ section of the press release advises that if people change their address, cell number, or other types of information, they will need to update their information.
“The system is only as good as the information you provide,” the press release reads.
The information will only be used for emergency purposes, according to the press release.
The update comes as Texas’ tornado season, which starts in April and lasts through June, rapidly approaches.
Yet even before tornado season officially begins, North Texas has already seen a number of severe thunderstorms, including a few tornadoes.
Most recently, the region saw a number of storms last week, complete with damaging winds and tornado warnings in Fort Worth, Irving, Arlington, North Richland Hills, and other local cities, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.Â
At least one tornado appeared to touch down in Irving, according to the National Weather Service Fort Worth. It was an EF-1 tornado with winds between 105 and 110 miles per hour. Some buildings reportedly experienced damage from the tornado, including a local car dealership.
