Reverse Alert: How the New Regional Alert System Could Save Your Life

In an emergency, seconds matter. The San Patricio County Emergency Management Coordinator and Fire Marshall, Chief Scott Marion, joins us to explain the game-changing Reverse Alert Notification System that's transforming how coastal bend residents receive life-saving emergency information.

Why the Change from Code Red: Chief Marion breaks down why San Patricio County, along with Aransas and Refugio counties, transitioned from Code Red system to the new Reverse Alert platform in September 2025. The old system had significant limitations that left gaps in regional emergency response coordination.

The Regional Advantage: The biggest breakthrough? Alerts that cross county lines. This matters more than you might think. When a refinery incident occurs, chemical plumes don't stop at county borders. When severe weather sweeps through the region, communities need coordinated information, not fragmented messages from four separate systems.

What You Need to Know: We walk through how to register at www.reversealert.org and customize exactly what alerts you want to receive and how you want to receive them: whether that's text, email, or phone calls. You can opt in for your specific county and city, or receive alerts from all four counties depending on where you work, live, and travel.

Real-World Scenarios: Chief Marion discusses the types of emergencies this system addresses: refinery flaring, severe weather events, road closures, natural disasters, and other time-sensitive community safety situations. The system provides instant notifications directly from local officials when every second counts.

Seamless, Unified Protection: Previously, each of the four counties managed their own independent emergency alert systems, creating confusion and communication gaps. The Regional Reverse Alert System consolidates everything into one platform, ensuring consistent messaging and broader coverage across the entire coastal bend region.

Enhanced Functionality: Beyond just crossing county lines, the new system offers upgraded features and more reliable delivery methods compared to the legacy Code Red platform. Chief Marion explains how this technology represents a significant leap forward in emergency management capabilities.

Taking Action: The system only works if you're registered. We discuss the importance of taking five minutes to sign up at reversealert.org—because in an emergency, you can't rely on word-of-mouth or stumbling across information on social media. Direct alerts from emergency management officials could be the difference between safety and danger.

Whether you commute across county lines for work, have family spread across the region, or simply want comprehensive emergency information for the coastal bend, this conversation explains why the new Reverse Alert system is essential for every resident.

Register today at www.reversealert.org and ensure you're connected when it matters most.