Rural Oregonians are signing up for emergency alerts at far higher rates than people in the state's urban areas, a new study found.
Researchers say the gap may reflect more than wildfire risk. In communities where neighbors live farther apart and residents have fewer ways to learn about developing emergencies, emergency alerts could serve as a critical source of information during disasters.
A 2026 study of Oregon's OR-Alert system found rural counties consistently had higher enrollment rates than urban counties.
Curry County's enrollment rate reached 282%, compared with 13% in Multnomah County. Clatsop County had the highest rate at 461%. Researchers said the percentages exceed 100% because many people register multiple phones, email addresses or other contact methods.
Miami University professor Mike Brudzinski co-authored the study. He said emergency alerts may help fill an information gap in rural communities, where residents often have fewer ways to learn about developing emergencies.
“The population is more dispersed," Brudzinski said. "I think they are looking for civic entities as a way to stay connected."
Brudzinski conducted a separate study earlier this year that found people are more likely to sign up for alert systems that send more frequent notifications.
He said rural residents in Southern Oregon often have fewer ways to receive timely information during natural disasters, making alerts sent directly to a cell phone especially valuable.
Brudzinski said the trend also may reflect what he called a "rural mindset," in which people take greater responsibility for preparing for emergencies.
"The further out you are, the more on your own you are," Brudzinski said. "You have to kind of prepare for natural hazards in a way that is your own responsibility."
In Portland, residents might hear about a flood through news reports, social media or friends. In rural communities, where people live farther apart, information often takes longer to spread.
Brudzinski said more research is needed to determine why rural counties have higher enrollment rates.
