Lake County launches multi-phase update and verification of alert system

Lake County Emergency Management announced a multi-phase update to its Everbridge-powered emergency alert system on March 3, 2026, saying the project will verify participant contact details and improve how the county sends urgent notices by phone, text and email. The county described the work as an update and verification effort intended to make sure alerts reach the right people when seconds count.

The county's announcement uses the department's exact language: "The Lake County Emergency Management department will conduct a multi-phase update including system configuration improvements, notification process reviews, participant (residential/business) verification, and annual testing." That multi-phase list is the core of the work Lake County officials say they will carry out as part of the project.

A platform description included with the notice quotes Everbridge marketing as saying its "moto is to provide, 'the right message, at the right time, to the right people.'" The same material states, "When seconds count, the system delivers real-time alerts through text, phone, and/or email to provide critical information during an emergency." The county's messaging and platform text indicate alerts can include "the location of and respective emergency updates; if needed, evacuation orders and instructions; if determined, sheltering-in-place instructions; and where to stay tuned for additional information."

Enrollment in Lake County's alert system is optional; the county's release states, "Enrollment is optional but for public safety, residents and businesses are still strongly encouraged to register or update their information during this period." Progress updates and instructions, the county added, "will be shared through the county website and official social media," signaling where residents should look for phase-by-phase guidance and any test alerts.

For specific questions, the county provided a contact: "Questions can be directed to Warren LaPlante, Emergency Management Director, at warren.laplante@co.lake.mn.us." The county release did not include a phone number or an office address for LaPlante in the information provided to the public.

A separate notice described the work as happening "in the coming months," but the county statement did not supply a detailed phase timeline, testing schedule, or the specific methods the verification will use — for example, whether verification will rely on automated prompts, active re-registration, or outreach to businesses. Those scheduling and procedural details were not listed in the county's announcement.

Because the system delivers location-based evacuation orders and sheltering instructions via phone, text and email, Lake County's Emergency Management is urging households and businesses to check that their contact information is current and to watch the county website and official social channels for the project's progress and annual testing dates. Questions may be sent to Emergency Management Director Warren LaPlante at warren.laplante@co.lake.mn.us.