​General

What is VBAlert?

VBAlert is the City of Virginia Beach's official emergency alert and notification system. This system is used to send alerts to the public during emergencies. VBAlert is a free service that allows you to sign up online to receive customized alerts via text message, email, and voice message.

Why should I sign-up for VBAlert?

When emergencies happen, be the first to know. The City of Virginia Beach uses VBAlert to send 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 for VBAlert, you are taking a large step toward improving your personal safety.

How does it work?

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

How much does it cost?

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

Can you guarantee that I will receive notification if I register?

While VBAlert 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 City of Virginia Beach's control. VBAlert will use all the means of communications you register for 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

How do I sign-up for VBAlert?

Signing up for VBAlert is easy! Go to www.vbgov.com/vbalert  and register your contact information.

Who can sign-up for VBAlert?

VBAlert is available to anyone who lives, works, travels through, or visits the City of Virginia Beach. The address can be your home location, work location, or any other location you care about.

Alerts

What types of alerts will I receive?

Emergency alerts are sent 24/7 when there is an immediate threat to life and/or property.

These include notifications about:
Severe weather
Evacuations
Rabid animals
Hazardous material spills
Boil water advisories 
Road closures
Traffic Disruptions
City announcements

Can I call the alert phone number back or reply back to the email?

You are not able to reply to texts or emails sent by VBAlert.  If you have questions about an alert, please call the City of Virginia Beach's 311 center at 311 or outside of Virginia Beach at (757) 385-3111.

When will I start receiving alerts?

Once you have signed up online at www.vbgov.com/vbalert  and confirmed your contact information within the system, you will begin receiving alerts

How do I update or remove my notification preferences and contact information used by VBAlert?

Follow these steps to change your VBAlert  preferences: (for example, to reduce the number of messages of a certain type, or to change the contacts used for each kind of message)
1. Go to the login page for VBAlert www.vbgov.com/vbalert   
2. Login using your VBAlert username and password (If you've forgotten these, follow the instructions on the page under "Forgot Username or Password?")
3. Once signed in, click the 'Preferences' tab at the top
4. Under 'Notification Preferences', you can make changes to both the phone numbers and email addresses on which you want to receive VBAlert  messages by clicking or unclicking the checkboxes
5. You can also choose what alerts you want to receive and the method you wish to receive them by (text, voice, email)

How often will I receive alerts?

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 City will only send you alerts about the information you select to receive. To change your alert settings, login to www.vbgov.com/vbalert and edit your preferences.

How does the VBAlert system respond to busy signals or no-answer situations?

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.

Privacy and Contact Information

Will my information be disclosed or shared?

No, your information is private and will not be used or distributed in any manner. The information that you provide is exempt from public disclosure and will be used for emergency purposes only.

What precautions are taken to protect personal contact information stored in the VBAlert system?

Personal information provided to VBAlert  is private and only used to notify you for official City of Virginia Beach communications and to support the City of Virginia Beach's emergency services.

Your information is not used for marketing purposes and will not be sold to telemarketers or data-mining organizations. A variety of "opt-in" mechanisms are available to ensure you are getting just the messages you want to receive, delivered via the devices and communications modes that you choose.

VBAlert utilizes the highest standards in physical and computer security technologies and conducts regular audits to ensure all information is kept secure. Privacy policies are also outlined in the Terms and Conditions you review when you sign up to receive VBAlert notifications.

​How does Smart911 work?

Smart911 allows citizens to provide the additional details that 9-1-1 call takers may need in order to assist them during an emergency. When you dial 9-1-1 today the information received by the 9-1-1 call center can be limited based on the type of phone you are calling on. With Smart911, anytime you make an emergency call from a phone registered with your Safety Profile, the 9-1-1 systems recognizes your phone number and automatically displays your profile on the screen of the call taker who receives your call.

What is a Safety Profile?

A Safety Profile is a set of information about an individual, or a household that is contained within one account on Smart911.com. Information can include details about all members of the household, all phone numbers (mobile, landline or VOIP) and all addresses including home, work and even vacation homes. Users can also add details about medical conditions, medications, vehicles, pets and even emergency contacts.

What kind of information can I list in my safety profile?

You can include as little or as much information in your profile as you like. Information may include address, medical and security information. This service is voluntary, so you decide what information you want emergency responders to know about you when you call 9-1-1.

Who should create a Safety Profile?

Anyone can create a safety profile.  Those that are especially encouraged to sign up are people with medical or disability information. Wireless phone users are also encouraged, as wireless phone calls to 9-1-1 only provide a general location of the caller, not an exact address.  Adding your home, school and work addresses (including apartment and room numbers) can help responders locate you more easily.

How long does it take to create a Safety Profile?

Setting up a profile can take as little as 5-10 minutes, depending on how much information you wish to provide. You can always go back and update existing, or add additional information to your profile.

How do I know if my Safety Profile was successfully created?

When you complete registration, Smart911 will automatically direct you to your Smart911 Safety Profile and will send a message to your registered email address confirming your account. Smart911 will not deliver your Safety Profile to 9-1-1 answering centers unless you have verified the phone(s) listed in your profile by responding to the text message or automated call placed to that phone.

Account is created after first page of registration.
To confirm your account and insure info is available to 911, profile must be associated with a phone number.

Is there a cost to sign up for Smart911?

There is no fee to create or maintain a Safety Profile with Smart911.

Can I include my family members?

You are encouraged to create a Safety Profile that includes everyone in your household. You can also create Safety Profile on behalf of elderly parents, those with disabilities, or anyone not comfortable with computers, designating yourself as the emergency contact. 

What if English is not my primary language?

You can create a Safety Profile in multiple languages and specify your primary language. When your profile displays at the 9-1-1 center, it will be translated back into English. If an interpreter is required, the 9-1-1 Call Taker will be able to see which language you designated as your primary language.

Once I have signed up do I need to do anything else?

The more up-to-date your information is, the better. Smart911 prompts users to verify their information every six months. However, you should update your profile anytime there is any change to your information.

Is my information secure?

Yes. Your privacy is important to us. Your information is made available ONLY to 9-1-1 call takers and responders ONLY in the event you call 9-1-1. Your information is stored in geo-redundant databases that restrict access to everyone- including Rave Mobile Safety employees. Your Safety Profile is non-searchable and your information will only be displayed to 9-1-1 dispatchers for a limited amount of time. In some areas, you can choose to allow Smart911 to share your profile with Emergency Managers as they prepare for and respond to emergencies. If you reside or work in one of these areas, you will be presented with this option.

Will my Safety Profile still work if something happens to the Rave Mobile Safety databases?

Yes. Your information is stored in geo-redundant databases that are located on opposite sides of the country. In the unlikely event of a database shutdown, the system will automatically transition all of your information to the backup database, resulting in zero impact to your Safety Profile.