In a local emergency, staying informed is one of the best ways to ensure your continued safety.  Members of the University community have two opportunities to register to receive timely alerts and take precautionary action in the event of emergent events. 
The University utilizes a free emergency notification system called UVA Alerts.  All students, faculty, and staff should register for this free service targeted to the University population.  This system sends a text and email of any emergency on the University Grounds and proximate areas.  For more information on UVA Alerts, visit www.virginia.edu/uvaalerts or call the University Office of Safety and Emergency Preparedness at (434) 982-0565.  Registering for UVA Alerts is the best way to hear real-time news about imminent threats that pose a risk to the University community. 
Members of the University community who live in Charlottesville and Albemarle County may also consider registering for a new regional notification system called CodeRED.  Recently launched by the Charlottesville-UVA-Albemarle County Office of Emergency Management, CodeRED is a free service that provides phone, text, or email notices of community emergency alerts.  Users can choose the type of message they want to receive.  CodeRED alerts are targeted only to persons in the direct path of severe weather or in the vicinity of an emergent event.  For more information on CodeRED, visit the Community Emergency Information website, or call the Charlottesville-UVA-Albemarle Office of Emergency Management at (434) 971-1263 or (434) 970-1798. (Residents who were registered with the former local notification system have been automatically added to CodeRED;  however, everyone is urged to re-register to specify what types of messages they want to receive.) 
Want even more security about staying informed during an emergent event? Build an emergency kit that includes a battery-powered and/or hand-cranked radio with extra batteries. Get 24/7 updates on road conditions by calling 511 or checking www.511Virginia.org.  And make sure you have an emergency power pack so your mobile devices can stay charged and ready to receive emergency notification alerts.