Contra Costa Health (CCH), in partnership with the Community Warning System (CWS), is improving how it keeps residents informed about hazardous materials incidents that occur in Contra Costa County.
Starting Jan. 15, 2025, the CWS will enable anyone to sign up to receive community awareness text messages about Level 1 incidents at industrial facilities regulated by Contra Costa County, including the county’s four oil refineries.
Level 1 alerts include non-emergency events such as minor hazardous materials releases, refinery flaring lasting over 20 minutes, visible plumes or noticeable odors that are not expected to have off-site health impacts.
These alerts will notify residents that they may hear, see or smell signs related to the event – however, no action is required.
Previously, text alerts were only sent for more serious Level 2 and Level 3 incidents, which will continue.
“Timely communication is critical when it comes to hazardous materials incidents,” said Nicole Heath, Director of CCH’S Hazardous Materials Program. “By introducing Level 1 community awareness messages, we’re giving residents an additional layer of information to stay aware.”
Residents must opt-in to receive these notifications by texting CCHEALTH to 21423. When signing up, it is also important to sign up for emergency messages through the CWS.
The CWS, a partnership between CCH and the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, provides alerts about potential health hazards, emergencies, and safety concerns through phone, text and email.
Notifications of all alert levels will be posted on CCH’s website.
CCH encourages all residents to take advantage of this service to stay informed of HazMat notifications that could affect their communities.
For more information, visit our website.
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