Sending broadcast alerts

Broadcasts are one-to-many SMS messages sent to all active subscribers on selected topic(s). Use them for snow emergencies, boil-water advisories, election reminders, and other time-sensitive notices.

Create a broadcast

1. Open HelloCivic Text → Broadcasts.
2. Click New broadcast.
3. Pick one or more topics — only subscribed, non-blocked contacts on those topics receive the message.
4. Write your message. Watch the segment counter — long messages split into multiple SMS segments.
5. Choose Send now or Schedule for a future date/time.

Delivery tracking

After sending, open the broadcast detail to see per-recipient status:

• Queued / Sent / Delivered / Failed

Status updates arrive via Twilio delivery callbacks. Most deliveries confirm within seconds; failures usually mean an invalid number or carrier rejection.

Quiet hours

If your workspace has quiet hours configured, "Send now" may be blocked during that window. Schedule the broadcast for after quiet hours end, or adjust quiet hours in Settings if the situation is urgent.

Quotas

Your plan includes a monthly SMS quota. The composer warns you before you exceed it. Platform staff can raise limits if you hit the cap during an emergency.

Best practices

• Lead with the action: "Boil water advisory in effect until 6 PM. Details: city.gov/water"
• Include how to opt out only when required — STOP handling is automatic.
• Test with a small internal topic first before your first real emergency blast.
• For life-safety emergencies, don't rely on SMS alone — use your website, social media, and emergency alert systems too.