KinwarnKinwarn text alerts
Kinwarn Alerts texts people about urgent National Weather Service warnings, such as tornado warnings and flash flood emergencies, that cover an address saved in Kinwarn. Texts back up our phone calls and app notifications. We never send marketing texts.
Who gets texts
Only people who agree themselves. There are two ways, and both show the program name, how often texts come, that message and data rates may apply, and how to stop.
1. Someone else added your number: press 2 on our verification call
When a Kinwarn user adds a family member’s phone number, they first confirm in the app that this person said yes. Kinwarn then places one automated verification call to that number. Nothing is sent to the number before this call, and no texts are sent unless the person presses 2.
“Hello, this is Kinwarn, a storm warning app. To stop these calls, press 9. Sarah set up Kinwarn to call this phone when a tornado warning, an evacuation order, or another dangerous warning, covers Mom’s home. The calls are free for you. Press 1 to agree to calls. Press 2 to agree to calls and text messages. Texts are about urgent weather warnings only, message frequency varies, and message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to any text to stop. Press 9 if you don’t want these calls.”
After pressing 2: “Thank you. You will get Kinwarn calls and texts. We just sent a text to confirm. Please save this number in your contacts as Kinwarn, so our calls can ring at night. Goodbye.”
2. Your own number: turn on texts in the app
The Kinwarn user can turn on texts for their own phone number. The switch is off by default, and the text under it says what the user agrees to.
Your phone
Kinwarn app: the switch that turns on texts for your own number
The first text: confirmation
What alerts look like
How often
Only when an urgent warning covers a saved address: tornado warnings, destructive severe thunderstorm warnings, flash flood emergencies, extreme wind warnings, tsunami warnings, hurricane and storm surge warnings, and evacuation or shelter-in-place orders. Message frequency varies with the weather, usually 0 to 10 messages a month. Message and data rates may apply.
How to stop or get help
- Reply STOP to any Kinwarn text to stop all texts to your number. We send one last text to confirm and nothing after that.
- Reply HELP for help, or email hello@kinwarn.com.
- To stop calls too, press 9 during any Kinwarn call.
Mobile phone numbers and text message consent are never shared with or sold to third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. Texts go only to U.S. phone numbers. Read our Terms and Privacy Policy.
Kinwarn passes on warnings from the National Weather Service. It is not an official warning system. Keep Wireless Emergency Alerts on and follow local officials.