Neighborhood specific warnings of HAZMAT, fires, or floods.
Hurricanes, forest fires and gas spills. Living in the Houston area is sometimes dangerous. So much so that Greater Harris County 911 is offering free alerts via text or email.
Judge Ed Emmett says the new service is available for county residents, Houstonians and in Fort Bend County as well.
"It will specific to your geographic area," Emmett tells KTRH News. "And it will only be true emergencies, this won't be telling you there's some traffic jam at an intersection."
"If your home for example is in an area that is subject to a hazardous materials incident and you're not home, you would like to know that so you can alert your family to stay away from that area," he says.
Emmett says there's an opt-out feature if you want, and even a way to sign up your kids' cell phones too.
"You can go online at anytime and discontinue it if you want to, I don't think many people will," says Emmett. "And you also have the opportunity to register multiple cell phones at the same address, because families these days, everybody has their own cell phone.”
