State government uses the FlashAlert Messenger system to notify employees and the public of large-scale building closures,* such as all Executive Branch state agencies in a city, county or region. Smartphone apps can be used to get closure announcements or get them via email. There's no cost to you to use FlashAlert Messenger.
Closure announcements are made through five regional FlashAlert accounts. View the map.
- State Building Closures - Portland/Salem, Ore.
- State Building Closures - Eugene/Roseburg, Ore.
- State Building Closures - Medford/Klamath Falls, Ore.
- State Building Closures - Central Oregon
- State Building Closures - Eastern Oregon
Use FlashAlert Messenger System
Sign up for closure information in any or all of the five regional accounts:
- Review the “Terms of Use” section. Then visit https://www.flashalert.net/regions/.
a. If you already are a FlashAlert subscriber, log in here and jump to step 5. - In the search box, type or paste “building closure”.
- Select the desired “State Building Closures” regional account.
- Type your primary email address and select Subscribe. Optionally, add other email accounts; texts are not recommended.**
- To subscribe to other regions, select the “My Subscriptions” tab and click “Add Subscription.”
- In the search box, type or paste “building closure”.
- Select the region of your choice, and click “Subscribe.”
- Repeat this process for each desired region, and follow FlashAlert's instructions regarding validation codes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Before downloading an app, please read the "Terms of use" on this webpage.
Update (October 2024): FlashAlert is modernizing its apps and will make the newest versions available as soon as possible.
No, but you are encouraged to log in to your FlashAlert account and review the "My Subscriptions" tab for accuracy.
Yes and no.
Yes, if your building is part of a large-scale closure (such as a whole county or metro area), you will receive a FlashAlert if you have signed up for that region's FlashAlert account (refer to the instructions near the top of this page).
No, if your building has to close because of power outage, flooded access road, or other situation that is unique to that location. When a single building closes, your agency will communicate with you; you will not hear about it through the FlashAlert accounts listed near the top of this page. However, if your agency follows the state's reporting procedure, you can read about it on this webpage.
The messages are purposely brief. Here's a sample:
State agency offices in Noname County are closed today. Visit oregon.gov/das for more info. This announcement does not cover courts or legislative offices.
Here's another sample:
State agency offices in Noname County will open at 10 a.m. today. Visit oregon.gov/das for more info. This announcement does not cover courts or legislative offices.
No. State agency offices are always open regular hours unless a closure is announced. Always assume that your work schedule is normal unless DAS or your agency announces otherwise.
The reason for this is because the Judicial Branch (courts) and Legislative Branch are separate branches of government that don't follow the guidance of the Executive Branch when deciding whether to close offices due to inclement weather or other factors.
If an employee needs more information about building closures, they should speak with their supervisor. The public can get more information from the main building closures webpage.
Terms of Use
If you sign up for the FlashAlert service for the purpose of receiving state building closure notices from DAS, you agree to the following:
1. The Oregon Department of Administrative Services makes available the FlashAlert system as a courtesy. The system serves as an additional level of communication between DAS and interested parties, including state employees who want to know when Executive Branch agencies close because of inclement weather or other factors. Technical difficulties may cause this notification system to malfunction or delay message delivery. DAS is not responsible for such mishaps.
2. State employees have a responsibility to obtain notice of state building closures using the resources listed in
state policy. Employees should speak to their supervisor if they have questions about the process the state uses to close offices, how the state communicates closures, the role of the employee, and the employment rules that apply.
3. Signing up for a FlashAlert account is free. However, a user cannot hold DAS responsible for any fees or charges incurred for messages the user receives from FlashAlert. Users have the responsibility to confirm with their mobile device service provider the terms of their account for any device used to receive messages using FlashAlert, including whether fees apply to incoming text messages.
4. When cell phone or email accounts change or close, the user has the sole responsibility to update their account information in FlashAlert in order to receive future closure notices. Similarly, when a new phone is purchased, the FlashAlert Messenger app must be added to the phone and linked to your FlashAlert subscription (log in here to link to the app).
* DAS does not use FlashAlert to announce planned closures such as state holidays.
** FlashAlert strongly recommends you
not rely on text messages. If you have a smartphone or device, consider the free FlashAlert Messenger app (mentioned in the Apps section of the FAQ).
This page updated: October 2024