Otter Tail County to Enlist Smart911 for COVID-19 Notifications

Otter Tail County Public Health Director Jody Lien

Otter Tail County, MN – Public health and safety officials in Otter Tail County announced today they will use the Smart911 emergency alert system to notify subscribers and new users of vaccine updates. Simply text “COVIDOTC” to 67283 to get text notifications for vaccine updates. Existing subscribers of Smart911 can also log in to their account and click ‘COVID Updates’ on the alerts tab to select the method you prefer to receive updates (phone, email, text message).

“We continue to work to ensure information is getting out to all residents on COVID-19 vaccine eligibility and availability. This includes vaccine opportunities with our local healthcare and pharmacy partners,” states Public Health Director Jody Lien. “In addition to our current messaging platforms, we will use this new resource to alert those, who have signed up, of local COVID-19 vaccine opportunities and how to access an appointment for the vaccine if you are eligible.”

Residents and visitors may recognize Smart911 as the free service employed by Otter Tail County to send emergency alerts during hazardous situations involving weather, traffic, and other emergencies in real time. The addition of a text messaging service allows residents to also text “OtterTail” to 67283 to sign up for emergency alerts.

In addition to registering for COVID-19 updates and emergency alerts, all Smart911 users are asked to complete a Safety Profile. A Safety Profile includes any information users will want 9-1-1 and response teams to have in the event of an emergency, such as medical conditions, emergency contacts, and vehicle and pet information. When a Smart911 user makes an emergency call to 9-1-1, their Safety Profile automatically displays to the 9-1-1 call taker.

“Signing up for these text alerts are a great way to quickly receive information on current events, and a full account is great to have if you’re interested in receiving more, like weather alerts, or when you want to share information about yourself with emergency responders,” noted County Emergency Manager Patrick Waletzko. “It’s also important that everyone with a full Smart911 account remember to sign-in at least once every six months to keep your profile up to date and active.”

Information regarding vaccination eligibility and distribution can be a text away and with severe weather season quickly approaching today is a good time to sign up for Smart911.