Prepping in Indianapolis
Marion County sounds its outdoor sirens only for tornado warnings, and they're meant for people outdoors. Indoors, you need an alert that reaches you.
- Tornadoes
- Severe storms
- Winter storms
Sign up today
The official Indianapolis alert and lookup tools. Each takes a few minutes and works even if you do nothing else on this page.
- MESA Indy emergency alertsSee Marion County alerts
Marion County Emergency Management's official alerts. Text MESAINDY to 67283, or create a free Smart911 account to choose alert types and get calls or email.
Links checked October 2026. Wireless Emergency Alerts reach most phones automatically; these add local detail.
What can go wrong in Indianapolis
- Tornadoes
- Central Indiana sees tornado warnings each spring, sometimes overnight.
- Severe storms
- Damaging wind and hail knock out power across the city.
- Winter storms
- Snow, ice and bitter cold bring outages and dangerous roads.
- Flooding
- Heavy rain raises the White River and creeks and floods low streets.
- Heat
- Humid summer heat waves make outages dangerous for older adults.
What that means for your plan
Sirens are for people outdoors. Indoors, use phone alerts and a NOAA weather radio that can wake you.
Know your tornado shelter: the basement or an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows.
Prepare for outages in both seasons: warmth for winter, a way to cool down in summer.
Do these first, in this order
- NOAA weather radio and MESA Indy alerts
Overnight tornado warnings.
Radios and communication guide - Power station
Phones, lights and medical devices through outages.
Power stations and generators guide - Warmth without power
Winter outages in the cold.
Lighting and staying warm guide - Two weeks of water
Basic insurance for any long outage.
Water storage and filters guide - First-aid kit
Storm injuries and cleanup.
First aid and medical guide - Battery CO alarm
For generators and gas heat.
Power stations and generators guide
Questions
How do I get emergency alerts in Indianapolis?
Text MESAINDY to 67283 for Marion County's emergency alerts, or create a free Smart911 account to choose alert types and get calls or email.
When do Indianapolis tornado sirens sound?
Marion County sounds outdoor sirens when a tornado warning is issued for the county. They're designed to warn people outdoors, not inside.
How ready is your Indianapolis home?
The quiz weights every item for suburbs risks and shows your top gaps. About 3 minutes, no sign-up.