MARSHALL — The rollout of a new emergency notification system for Lyon County started this week.

The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office is encouraging people to sign up for severe weather and other emergency alerts.

“We just started advertising the sign-ups,” said Sheriff Eric Wallen. Lyon County will now be partnering with RAVE Alert and Smart 911 for the emergency notification system. Users can sign up to receive free emergency alerts by text, automated phone message, and email.

“The primary purpose is mass community alerts for emergency situations,” Wallen said of the system.

So far, the rollout has been going well, Wallen said.

“We did a test to coincide with the first Wednesday of the month.”

In January, Lyon County Commissioners approved a contract for a new emergency notification service provider after the county’s former provider, CodeRED, had a large data breach. Wallen said the new alerts from RAVE Alert and Smart 911 will be able to provide area residents with similar notifications for situations like severe weather warnings or Amber Alerts. Lyon County will also be able to access the federal Integrated Public Alert and Warning System platform, he said.

Wallen said there are a few ways that the public can sign up for emergency alerts. People can register to receive text alerts by texting LYON to 226787. Wallen said people can also visit smart911.com/smart911/ref/reg.action?pa=lyonmnus, or scan a QR code available on the Lyon County MN Sheriff’s Office page on Facebook. Going to the Smart911 web page will give people access to more ways to receive alerts, like automated phone calls or emails, he said.