When an emergency affects Ocala and the rest of Marion County, the quickest way to hear about it is often a message sent straight to you. This guide explains the official system residents can sign up for, how to register, and a separate county program for people who may need help with sheltering. For more preparedness resources, see the Prepare page.
Alert Marion: the county's emergency alert system
Alert Marion is run by the Marion County Sheriff's Office Emergency Management. According to alertmarion.com, it lets residents receive time-sensitive emergency alerts on a cell phone, a home phone, business phones, by email and by text message.
That range matters. Some people no longer keep a landline, some rarely check email, and some are away from a home phone for most of the day. Because Alert Marion can reach several kinds of devices and accounts, a resident can set it up to match how they actually receive information.
You choose where and how alerts arrive
The sign-up page puts it simply: "You pick where, you pick how!" Each resident decides where alerts are delivered and by what method. You are not locked into a single option, so you can think through which of the following fit your routine:
- A cell phone
- A home phone
- A business phone
- An email address
- Text messages
It is worth choosing the methods you are most likely to notice quickly. If you work somewhere other than home, a business phone may be useful. If you are rarely near a computer, text messages may make more sense than email.
How to sign up
Registration happens online through the Alert Marion website. The page carries a button labeled "Sign Up Now For Alert Marion!" and residents can register through it.
- Go to alertmarion.com.
- Select the sign-up button.
- Choose where and how you want alerts delivered.
- Complete the registration.
The site itself is the place to confirm any details about the form, so follow its prompts as you go.
The Special Needs Program
Alert Marion is not the only registration worth knowing about. Marion County also runs a Special Needs Program. It is for residents who, during an evacuation or emergency, require sheltering assistance because of physical, mental, cognitive or sensory disabilities.
This is different from an alert subscription. Alerts tell you something is happening. The Special Needs Program is about making sure the county knows that a person may need extra help being sheltered when conditions call for it.
To register, call Marion County Emergency Management at 352-369-8136. The county's emergency preparedness page lists that number for registering individuals with special needs.
If you care for a neighbor or relative who might qualify, you can share this information with them so they can decide whether to register.
Where Emergency Management is located
The Emergency Management Division is at 692 Northwest 30th Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34475. The facts available for this guide give the address for reference. They do not list public hours or walk-in services, so call ahead on the number above before planning a visit.
A short checklist
- Register for Alert Marion at alertmarion.com.
- Pick the phone numbers, email and text options that you check most reliably.
- If someone in your household may need sheltering assistance because of a disability, call 352-369-8136 to ask about the Special Needs Program.
- Keep the Emergency Management address, 692 Northwest 30th Avenue, with your other important information.
- Revisit your choices if you change a phone number or email address, so alerts keep reaching you.
What this guide does not cover
This guide is limited to the information published by Marion County Sheriff's Office Emergency Management and Marion County. It does not describe the content of individual alerts, how often messages are sent, or any other alert system. For those details, use the official Alert Marion site or contact Emergency Management directly. Other preparedness material is collected on the site's Prepare page.
Who to contact
- Alert Marion sign-up: alertmarion.com
- Special Needs Program registration: Marion County Emergency Management, 352-369-8136
- Emergency Management Division: 692 Northwest 30th Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34475
- County preparedness information: Marion County emergency preparedness
Sources
Compiled from the official sources below.