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Lanita A. Lloyd
Deputy Director
140 North Marietta Pkwy.
Marietta, GA 30060
Phone: 770-499-4567
Fax: 770-499-4558
ema@cobbcounty.org
Cobb Emergency Management Agency (EMA)
Crisis Communication Systems
Before you can take the proper course of action during an emergency, you must first know that the emergency is occurring. Cobb County uses several tools to notify the public about disasters and emergency situations, working together to ensure that the maximum numbers of people are notified of an immediate, life threatening emergency.
NOAA Weather Radios
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radios may be purchased at most retailers and are the primary tool for alerting people of weather and other emergencies. In conjunction with Federal, State, and Local Emergency Managers and other public officials, the National Weather Service (NWS) also broadcasts warning and post-event information for all types of hazards – including natural (such as tornadoes or hurricanes) and environmental (such as chemical releases). NOAA weather radios will sound an alarm when the National Weather Service issues an emergency alert, followed by a broadcast with details about the emergency; some models can even be programmed for specific geographical areas, allowing you to determine the area(s) covered for which you receive alerts. Visit www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr for more information.
Procedures for programming weather radios varies with the brand and model of NOAA weather radio. You will need the owner's manual for your radio in order to program it correctly. If your NOAA weather radio is Specific Area Message Encoding (S.A.M.E.) capable, you may obtain the S.A.M.E. codes for your county by visiting the National Weather Service website at www.weather.gov/nwr/CntyCov/nwrGA.htm.
Outdoor Warning Sirens
Cobb County has more than 70 outdoor warning sirens to alert residents during a weather-related emergency, including ten sirens that can also broadcast voice messages. The intent of warning sirens is to alert people who are outside that an imminent danger is approaching; they are not designed to be heard within a home or other building. Cobb County conducts outdoor warning siren system tests at noon on the first Wednesday of each month, sounding the sirens for 3 to 5 minutes. In the event that there is inclement weather on the first Wednesday of the month, the test will be postponed until the following day, the first Thursday of the month.
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County-wide Weather Siren Locations (PDF Format - 2.6mb)
Warning System VideoWhen a weather related emergency occurs, EMA will activate a system of 74 outdoor sirens to raise awareness of dangerous weather activities. This informative video will address the warning siren activity county wide.
Watch Video 
- Duration: 2min. 15sec.
Local Network and Cable Television
During severe weather events, residents should watch local television news channels to monitor events closely. Local television stations typically increase news coverage as necessary during severe weather, and preempt regular programming when warranted, to keep the public informed. Cobb County also has its own local government access channel, TV23, which broadcasts alerts and information as needed.
Radio Stations
Radio stations usually have hourly news briefs and also closely monitor current conditions when circumstances dictate. In the event of power failures, every home should have a portable radio with spare batteries.
Web Alerts
Cobb County Communications offers a free CobbLine News and Alerts subscription service that provides you with emergency alerts issued by Cobb’s EMA, Public Safety, Transportation, and Water System Departments. Subscribers to this service receive emergency alerts, press releases, and weekly news letters via e-mail. You can subscribe to this service on the Cobb Emergency Management Agency home page, ema.cobbcountyga.gov, as well as view the latest emergency alerts at any time.
No one can protect you and your family better than you! Stay informed—be ready!