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Deschutes Alerts: countywide test set for May 13; additional‑needs outreach explained
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Summary
Carrie Carl of Bend's risk and emergency management office briefed COBAC on Deschutes Alerts, the county-run opt-in emergency-notification system, how residents register additional needs, the AFN call team, and the May 13 annual test that the county expects will reach more than 72,000 sign-ups.
Carrie Carl, director of risk and emergency management for the City of Bend, told the committee that Deschutes Alerts is an opt‑in notification platform managed by Deschutes County and powered by Everbridge that allows residents to register locations and select notification channels (phone, SMS, email, app).
"The short answer is no," Carl said when asked whether the county shares additional-needs information; she explained that registered additional‑needs data are used only for notification and limited access is held by Deschutes County 911 and emergency-management system administrators, with the state as a backup. She described documented follow-up procedures the AFN call team uses during evacuations and the training callmakers receive in trauma-informed approaches.
Carl gave specific operational details: a pre-test on Feb. 25 contacted 2,727 registered additional‑needs entries, and the county expects "just over 72,000 sign ups" to receive the May 13 test. She explained that registrations are per device (phone number or email) and that people can list multiple locations (for example, a family member's address) so each device can receive targeted alerts. Carl also described how dispatchers geofence areas for evacuation alerts and how responders document call outcomes and arrange welfare checks or first-responder visits when needed.
Why it matters: for residents who rely on assisted devices or have mobility, communication or medical needs, accurate registration and the county’s test-and-follow-up process can be lifesaving. Carl asked COBAC members to help publicize the sign-up link and offered to share a QR code and follow-up contact information so members can report failures after the May 13 test.
