How to use Twitter Alerts
Twitter Alerts are Tweets published by select public agencies and emergency organizations during a crisis or emergency that contain up-to-date information relevant to an unfolding event, such as public safety warnings and evacuation instructions. Alerts will appear highlighted on your home timeline and are instantly sent to your device as a mobile notification.
How to set up Alerts
- Go to the Alerts setup page for the organization you wish to receive Alerts from (e.g., twitter.com/fema/alerts).
- If you're not already logged in, sign in with your Twitter account; if you don't already have an account, you will be prompted to sign up for one.
- If you wish to receive Alerts via text messages, enter or confirm your current phone number and activate Twitter text messaging to start receiving Alerts as text messages.
- If you have the official Twitter for Android or iOS app downloaded on your phone, you will start to receive Alerts as push notifications.
Managing your Alerts
Once you have an Alert set up, you can easily enable Alerts for additional organizations through their respective Alerts setup pages.
To disable Alerts for a particular organization
- Go to the organization's Alerts page (e.g., twitter.com/fema/alerts)
- Select the option to Stop receiving alerts; alternatively, you can simply unfollow the account.
When you enable notifications for Tweets from an individual account you're following, you receive a mobile notification for every Tweet they send. Alerts, however, are high-priority Tweets from select public agencies and public safety organizations, sent to you as mobile notifications only during crisis situations. Aside from being delivered right your phone, Alerts are also highlighted on your Home timeline.
Note: While Alerts can help you be better prepared and informed, they do not replace official emergency notification systems or services. Alerts should be used as a complementary source of information.
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