It is the Rutherford’s official emergency alert and notification system. This system is used to send alerts to the public during emergencies. It is a free service that allows you to sign up online to receive customized alerts via text message, email, and voice message. In addition to emergency alerts, you can also choose to receive customizable community notifications. These include notifications about events, road closures, Police and DPW matters and more. This service is provided by Rutherford at no cost to the public; however, message and data rates may apply.

When emergencies happen, be the first to know. This system sends official, real-time alerts to the public with information about potentially life-saving actions they may need to take to keep themselves and their families safe. By signing up, you are taking a large step toward improving your personal safety.

When an emergency occurs that meets the criteria for sending out an alert to the public, Rutherford’s emergency dispatchers will gather the necessary information and push out an alert to the affected area. Alerts can be sent out Borough-wide to everyone who has opted-in to the system, or to a specific area or neighborhood for more localized events.

This service is provided by the Borough of Rutherford at no cost to the public; however, message and data rates may apply depending on your provider and phone services.

While Rutherford Alerts and Notifications powered by Smart911 is an excellent system, we cannot guarantee that you will receive notification in all cases. Disasters and emergencies are chaotic and unpredictable, and notification is dependent on external providers such as your wireless carrier or email delivery service outside the Rutherford’s control. The system will use several means of communications to try to ensure that should any one communications method, technology, or delivery option be unavailable to reach residents, other methods will be used to improve the likelihood that citizens will see the message.

Signing up is easy! Go to alerts.smart911.com [or insert your custom URL] and register your contact information. To update your existing Alerts powered by Smart911[or insert your alert system name] preferences, click here. [insert sign in URL]

Rutherford Alerts and Notifications powered by Smart911 is available to anyone who lives, works, travels through, or visits the Borough of Rutherford. The address can be your home location, work location, or any other location you care about.

You can visit your local library to sign up online using a public computer.

Emergency alerts are sent 24/7 when there is an immediate threat to life and/or property. In addition to emergency alerts, you can also choose to receive customizable community notifications. These include notifications about:

• Severe weather
• Road Closures
• Community Events
• DPW and Sanitation Information
• Police Information

You are not able to reply to texts or emails sent by the Rutherford Alert and Notification System. Voice messages provide a dial-back number to replay an alert message.

Once you have signed up online at alerts.smart911.com [or insert your custom URL] and confirmed your contact information within the system, you will begin receiving alerts.

Follow the below steps to change your preferences (for example, to reduce the number of messages of a certain type, or to change the contacts used for each kind of message): Go to the login page [inset login URL] for Alerts powered by Smart911[or insert your alert system name] Login using your Alerts powered by Smart911[or insert your alert system name] username and password (If you’ve forgotten these, follow the instructions on the page under “Forgot Username or Password?”) Once signed in, click the ‘Preferences’ tab at the top Under ‘Notification Preferences’, you can make changes to both the phone numbers and email addresses on which you want to receive Alerts powered by Smart911[or insert your alert system name] messages by clicking or unclicking the checkboxes You can also choose what alerts you want to receive and the method you wish to receive them by (text, voice, email) For example, if you wish to turn off all messages regarding Transportation Disruptions, simply uncheck the box to the left of “Transportation Disruption” If you wish instead only to receive emails for Transportation Disruption notifications, instead uncheck the “Text” and / or “Voice” choices, so that only “Email” remains checked.”

The frequency for which you receive alerts depends on the addresses you provide and the types of alerts you select to receive as well as the frequency of actual emergencies. Emergency alerts will only be sent when there is an immediate threat to life and/or property. Community notifications will be sent when the criteria for sending an alert are met. This system is not intended to bombard you with information. The Borough will only send you alerts about the information you select to receive. To change your alert settings, login to [inset login URL] or smart911.com and edit your preferences.

If a call completes and is sent to your answering machine or voice mail system, a message is left. If a phone call is not answered or busy, the system redials your number several times.