5 things to know about the local emergency alert system in Beaufort & Jasper Counties
Whether you’re new to Beaufort County or just like staying in the know, Nixle alerts are one of the best ways to stay connected to what’s happening in your community.
From weather warnings to police activity, road closures to community events, Nixle delivers real-time updates directly to your phone or email inbox, helping keep residents in the Lowcountry informed and safe.
Here are five key things to know about navigating the alert system and how it works to keep Beaufort and Jasper County residents informed.
1. What is Nixle?
Nixle is a mass notification system used by local agencies to share important updates with the public. It’s a branch of the Everbridge emergency communications platform, a company launched after the 9/11 terrorist attacks to improve public safety through better information sharing.
Locally, Beaufort and Jasper counties use Nixle to share alerts from law enforcement, emergency services and city governments.
Nixle is free for residents, though agencies pay to use the system.
2. What kind of alerts will I receive?
Four types of messages can be sent through Nixle:
Alerts: Emergencies such as severe weather, evacuations or active threats.
Advisories: Important, but non-urgent updates, such as enhanced police presence.
Community Information: Local announcements, neighborhood/community events.
Traffic: Road closures or significant traffic disruption.
3. How does Nixle work?
Only verified public agencies can send out messages on Nixle and once you sign up, you’ll start receiving alerts based on your location.
Agencies can target specific neighborhoods or zip codes to ensure messages are relevant. Since alerts come by text or email (or both), users can choose how they’d like to stay in the loop.
Local agencies also pull real-time weather alerts directly from the National Weather Service, which are helpful during hurricane season or severe storms.
4. How do I sign up?
To get started, visit www.nixle.com and select “resident sign-up” or, for a quick and easy version, simply text your zip code to 888777 to receive basic alerts within your area.
For more control over what you get and where you get it from, you can:
Create a Nixle account with your name, email and mobile number. (Most easily done on a computer or laptop.)
Enter your home address (used only for location targeting).
Choose how you want to receive alerts: text, email, or both. You can also select the kinds of alerts to receive.
Add multiple addresses (e.g., home, work, school) at no cost.
Once you create an account and enter your zip code, you can click the ‘Settings’ or “Locations” label and add more agencies and zip code areas to your alert network.
The following organizations in the Lowcountry send Nixle alerts:
5. What should users keep in mind?
Nixle users receive messages and alerts via text, email or through the Everbridge app.
Nixle only supports United States phone numbers.
You can update your preferences anytime by logging into your account.
You can unsubscribe at any time.
If you’re traveling, you’ll still receive alerts, as long as your phone and email are operational.
For a full list of emergency alert systems in place across South Carolina, click here to view our full list.
This story was originally published July 11, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
