The Ute Mountain Ute tribe and Montezuma and Dolores counties are upgrading their public emergency alert systems to include automatic cell phone notification during major disasters.

The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) will give local officials the ability to post alerts that will reach all cell phones within range of area cell towers.

“It’s a lifesaving step for the community, tourists, and those without a landline,” said Paul Hollar, emergency manager for Montezuma County.

The county already uses the Nixle system, an emergency alert service users sign up for to receive alerts on their cell phones. And there is a local reverse 911 program that automatically calls all landlines during emergencies to provide critical information.

“The improvement is that IPAWS will automatically connect with all cell phones within range of cell towers,” Hollar said. “You don’t have to sign up for it, and it will only be used when the public is in imminent danger.”

The new alert system would notify cell phone users if there is an evacuation order in place, warn of a fast-moving wildfire or an incoming flood, inform the public about major power outages or water issues, or relay information if a gunman is on the loose.

“The more people you contact, the more lives you can save,” Hollar said.

The IPAW service is expected to go live in the coming weeks. It is a free service offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.