San Juan County officials announced June 10 that residents can sign up for the San Juan Alerts system to receive emergency notifications via text, email, pager, or voice call during severe weather or local emergencies.
How alert system works
The alert service, powered by AlertSense, allows fire, police, and other emergency response agencies to warn citizens about flooding, hazardous materials, wildfires, and the need for immediate evacuations. According to San Juan County, the system uses physical addresses and zip codes to provide advanced warning of events impacting specific areas.
Emergency notification delivery methods
In life-threatening situations, the county utilizes priority channels such as phone calls and priority text messages, while non-emergency notifications are delivered via text and email.
Fireworks and fire safety ordinances
In a separate matter regarding fire safety, the Park City Fire District maintains ordinances in Summit County that prohibit the use of Class C fireworks, including firecrackers, bottle rockets, and Roman candles, due to dry conditions and fire hazards.
Fire ordinance restrictions and penalties
The ordinance also prohibits all open fires unless they are contained within a specifically designed receptacle or structure. Additionally, officials strongly discourage the use of steel jacketed, incendiary, and tracer ammunition, noting that 20 wildfires across Utah were previously started by these types of ammunition.
Violations of the Summit County fire ordinance are classified as class B misdemeanors and may result in fines or jail time. The county also allows for cost recovery of expenses related to extinguishing fires caused by the negligent use of fireworks or improper disposal of smoking materials.
