HONOLULU (KHON2) -- March 31 marks the debut of the City and County of Honolulu's new mass notification system entitled "HNL Alert," as a part of the city's Emergency Operations Center. According to the city, the system will allow residents and visitors alike to sign up for updates regarding seve re weather, emergencies and other notable community news through text messages, push notifications and email. 38-year-old skateboarder killed in crash involving two vehicles "In times of emergency, getting accurate, timely information can make all the difference," said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. "HNL Alert is a critical tool that allows us to provide residents and visitors with real-time updates, helping them make informed decisions on their safety. But it is not just about receiving alerts--it is about taking personal responsibility and acting on them. We urge everyone to sign up, stay informed and be prepared. The more we work together as a community to stay aware and proactive, the safer we will all be." HNL Alert will be used in addition to emergency warning systems that do not require users to sign up, such as Wireless Emergency Alerts that sound on mobile phones and sirens. It is also in addition to the Emergency Alert System messages that sound on radios and televisions. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The new system can also include multiple sources of information, such as photographs and links to real-time information. The alerts also stay on the mobile device for a longer amount of time, rather than disappearing quickly, allowing users to have more time to read and understand information and share it with loved ones. "HNL Alert allows the city to communicate much more detailed instructions and updates with residents and visitors. We want to give people as much information as we can to help empower them to make the best choices for their safety," said Department of Emergency Management Acting Director Jennifer Walter. "With HNL Alert, we can send you updates about developing situations so you can make the decision to leave early if you feel unsafe or need more time. HNL Alert is a tool that we can use in addition to our existing emergency systems." Users can sign up for HNL Alerts through two methods: For customized alerts, create an account on the HNL Alerts website. On the website, users can select which topics they would like to be alerted about and pick how they would like to receive the messages. Users can also put specific addresses into the website to get targeted alerts about specific areas, whether that be home, work or school. For urgent alerts only, users can text "HNLALERT" to 888777 to subscribe in a quick and easy fashion to get the most important safety information via text message. There is no registration required for this option. Find more Hawaii, Oahu, Maui and Kauai news here The new system is replacing the city's previous notification system, HNL Info Alerts. For more information, visit the Department of Emergency Management's website. ...read more read less