California note
AlertSF is San Francisco's opt-in emergency alert
AlertSF is San Francisco's opt-in alert service; Wireless Emergency Alerts and emergency radio are separate automatic or backup channels.
AlertSF is San Francisco’s official opt-in emergency service. It is for residents and visitors. A full account can receive texts, emails, and phone calls. Alerts may cover fires, floods, tsunamis, major outages, traffic trouble, and other emergencies.
For a quick text signup, send a San Francisco ZIP code to 888-777. You can also make an AlertSF account. The account lets you add as many ZIP codes as you need, such as home, work, and school. Those ZIP codes choose the areas you hear about. They do not track your phone’s live location.
Wireless Emergency Alerts are separate. Urgent WEA messages can reach phones in the danger area without signup. The phone’s alert settings must allow them. The Emergency Alert System is the radio and television backup. SF.gov lists KCBS 740 AM and 106.9 FM as the main EAS stations. It lists KQED 88.5 FM as secondary and KALW 91.7 FM as a city radio backup.
San Francisco’s outdoor warning sirens are not a working backup today. The network went offline in December 2019. A city Civil Grand Jury review said it was still offline in 2025-2026. Do not wait for a siren. The review also found no single mobile emergency page for every language. Keep more than one official channel ready.
During an event, follow the newest instruction. It should name the danger, place, and action. An old AlertSF message is not live guidance. Neither is a social post with no current instruction.
Where to see it
SF.gov AlertSF signup page.
Official sources
Official pages
Reviewed July 14, 2026
Current rules, forms, fees, deadlines, maps, and office instructions.
Rules, forms, fees, deadlines, and office procedures can change. Check the current page before you file, pay, or rely on a date.
Connected places
Open the local directory
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