DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The head of Iowa’s Homeland Security division says more than 50 Iowa counties have signed up for a statewide emergency notification system. Mark Schouten, director of the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, says Tuesday that 57 counties are now participating in Alert Iowa. The system was launched in October. (Click here for a map of those counties with “Alert Iowa“: http://homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/documents/maps/MAP_AlertIowaCounties.pdf )

Residents in counties with the system can sign up for alerts about issues like severe weather. They have a wide range of options for how to receive the information, including phone calls, text messages or through social media. Counties have local control over how they use the system.

Schouten talked about the program during a budget hearing before Gov. Terry Branstad. Schouten is seeking $400,000 to continue to the program in the next budget year.