After the hundreds of tragic flood deaths in Texas, the importance of mass notification and warning systems has never been clearer.

This week, Guilford County is set to renew its commitment to a regional emergency alert network that keeps residents informed in times of crisis. At the Thursday, July 17 meeting, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners is expected to approve a new interlocal agreement with the cities of Greensboro and High Point for continued use of the county’s mass notification system.

Known locally as GEANI – short for Guilford Emergency Alert, Notification and Information – the system has been in place since 2010.

 It was originally created with federal Homeland Security grant funding in order to provide unified, real-time public safety alerts to people throughout Guilford County. From its start through 2014, the system’s operations were funded entirely by those grants.

In 2014, the three local governments entered into an interlocal agreement to share the ongoing costs of maintaining the system. That agreement was renewed in 2016 and again in 2021. Now, the Board of Commissioners is ready to approve the latest version of the deal, which keeps the system going for at least another year, with the option of two one-year renewals.

Behind GEANI is the Everbridge software platform – a nationally used, web-based mass notification system that can send emergency alerts about severe weather, missing persons, road hazards, chemical spills or other dangers.

Residents can – and probably should – sign up to receive alerts by phone, text, or email, based on their location and preferences.  You can register and give your preferences at ReadyGuilford.org.  The system can give you information about threats based on your location – for instance, if there is a shooter in your neighborhood, it will warn you.

You might think you’re already signed up because your phone gives those blaring alerts, but those are coming from a different system. What you’re receiving on your smartphone are Wireless Emergency Alerts – a nationwide system run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency working in partnership with the National Weather Service, local emergency managers and wireless carriers. These alerts are automatically enabled on almost all modern smartphones and don’t require you to sign up.

These include:

  • Severe weather warnings (tornadoes, flash floods, hurricanes)
  • AMBER alerts
  • Presidential alerts
  • Imminent threats to life or property.

You can disable all of those with the exception of presidential alerts, though it’s probably not a good idea to do so if you want to stay safe.

(Apparently, President Trump is unaware of the ability to send alerts to every cell phone in the country and that those cannot be disabled.  If he were aware of that fact, everyone with a cell phone would no doubt receive tons of Truth Social posts all day long.)

Those FEMA alerts listed above are location-based – your phone receives them based on where it is, not where you live – and they’re federally mandated, so you get them even if you’ve never enrolled in any warning system.

The feds pay for that system but the local governments pay for the GEANI system that will be approved this week.

The new city and county agreement continues the equal cost-sharing arrangement, with Greensboro and High Point each contributing $40,851 to cover their share of the $122,553 annual cost.

County officials say the system is a critical public safety tool that helps first responders and emergency managers reach the public quickly during fast-developing emergencies. The new agreement has already been signed by both cities and now just awaits the final approval from the county commissioners.

GEANI might not have the catchiest name, but it does what it’s supposed to do: keep residents informed during emergencies that threaten lives or property.

The system can send voice, text, and email alerts to your cellphone, home phone or email address, depending on what you register for.

 Those alerts aren’t just limited to Guilford County – they’re also for High Point residents who live in Forsyth, Davidson and Randolph counties, where people can sign up and receive notifications that affect them.

GEANI is triggered by local public safety officials in situations where fast and accurate communication is essential.

If you still have a traditional landline that isn’t unpublished, you’re already in the system. But if you want to get alerts on your mobile phone, or if you use internet-based VoIP service, you need to sign up with the county.

Your information won’t be used for anything else. It’s free, though your carrier might charge you if you go over your plan for texts or calls.

The alerts will come from 336-641-8100 – so, if you want to be sure you don’t miss one, it’s worth saving that number into your contacts.

If you decide later you prefer not to receive the alerts, you can opt out by emailing GEANI@guilfordcountync.gov.

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