What is the difference between a Watch, Advisory and a Warning?

• A Watch means that there is potential for the event to occur. No action needs to be taken when watches are issued, however community members should keep up to date in case the Watch becomes a Warning.
• An Advisory means that the event is either imminent or occurring, however it is less severe than a Warning. The event is a public inconvenience and creates a general hazard.
• A Warning means that the event is either imminent or occurring. Community members should be prepared to take immediate protective action.

Please email your question to the support e-mail for your county:

For Benton County: emergencymanagement@bentoncountyor.gov

For Linn County: help@linnsheriff.org

Signing up is a simple process. Simply click here and follow the prompts. You can also update and manage your profile.

Subscriber and land-based information is protected and used only by public safety officials. It is not sold or shared with any other organization or individuals.

There is no cost for you to sign up for the service. This is offered free to you as a public safety service.

By subscribing with Linn-Benton Alert you will be able to select and prioritize where you want messages sent. For example, if you only have a cell phone, by registering in the on-line database you can have alerts sent to your cell. Or you can choose to receive the messages via text or email or TTY device.

You can also indicate if you want to receive alerts from a particular geographic area. For example, if you live in Benton County and your kids go to school there, but you work in Linn County, you can sign up to receive alerts about emergencies near your children’s schools.

Only if you register with the service. Linn-Benton Alert is an address-based system and so alerts are automatically sent to landlines only. However, they can be sent to your cell phone or other devices you choose if you subscribe.

Linn-Benton Alert is an automated system, so the message will be computer-generated but specific to the immediate emergency.  Messages will identify which agency is issuing the alert, what the warning is about, how urgent the message is, and important instructions on what you should do. If you receive an alert, please listen to the entire message for important information.

Linn-Benton Alert could be activated to provide emergency safety instructions in a hazardous materials accident or natural disaster. It might be used to alert residents in a geographic area of a missing child or person with dementia. It could be used to alert a neighborhood to a dangerous person at large in the area. Linn-Benton Alert will only be used to deliver public safety messages.

The Linn-Benton Alert will only be used to deliver public safety messages. In many cases, you may already be aware of an emergency situation. Linn-Benton Alert allows public safety officials to provide crucial information about what you should do.