FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What Regroup is and why emergency notifications matter

Regroup is now Denton County ESD's official notification system. Denton County ESD uses it to reach you directly when something is happening that affects your safety or your day — such as a facility closure, severe weather, a schedule change, or a safety incident. Rather than hoping you catch it on social media or the news, the information comes to you, on the device you actually check.

The reason it matters comes down to timing. During an emergency or time-sensitive situation, minutes count, and a message sent straight to your phone reaches you faster than something you have to go looking for. Regroup can reach you via text, phone call, or email, and it can send an alert to just the people or locations it affects, so what lands on your phone actually applies to you.

Most days you won't hear from it at all. That's the point. When you do, it's because Denton County ESD decided this is something you would want to know right now.

What kinds of alerts will I get?

Denton County ESD decides what to send, and it usually falls into a few categories:

• Emergency alerts: urgent situations such as safety incidents, evacuations, lockdowns, or hazards, where you need to know and act right away.
• Weather alerts: severe weather that could affect your safety or operations, such as storms, floods, or high winds. Regroup can pull these automatically from the National Weather Service (NWS) and NOAA, tied to your specific location.
• Regular updates: everyday, non-urgent information such as closures, schedule changes, service disruptions, or general announcements.

Who decides when to send an alert?

A designated team or individual at Denton County ESD — such as Chief Vaughan, Chief Miller, Chief Mills and Megan — is responsible for reviewing situations and deciding when a message goes out. Alerts aren't automated or random; they follow an internal process to make sure what you receive is accurate and worth your attention.

Is there a cost?

No. Signing up and receiving alerts is free. Standard text or data rates from your own carrier may apply, the same as any other text or call.

How do I sign up, and what do I need?

Signing up online is the fastest way, because what you enter updates Denton County ESD's system right away. Go to https://embeds.regroupcloud.com/orgs/DentonCountyESD1/channels/citizen-subscriptions/signup_embed and fill out the form. You'll need:

• Your name and location/address: This matters because it's how Denton County ESD sends you alerts specific to where you are, and it's required for location-based or weather alerts.
• Phone number: You choose whether it gets texts, calls, or both. 
• An email address: If you'd like alerts sent by email.

How will messages reach me?

You choose. When you sign up, you pick which of these you want, and you can mix them:

• Text / SMS
• Voice message
• Email
• Push notifications

Can I choose which alerts I receive, or opt out of some?

You can choose which non-emergency updates you'd like and how they reach you — text, call, email, or a combination. Emergency alerts tied to your safety may not be optional, since Denton County ESD needs a reliable way to reach everyone during a genuine emergency. If you'd like to adjust your preferences at any time, log back into your profile at https://embeds.regroupcloud.com/orgs/DentonCountyESD1/channels/citizen-subscriptions/signup_embed and make changes, or contact Megan.

To opt out of SMS simply reply STOP to the number where you received the message.

How do I update my information or unsubscribe?

Log into your profile at https://embeds.regroupcloud.com/orgs/DentonCountyESD1/channels/citizen-subscriptions/signup_embedto update your phone number, email, address, or alert preferences at any time — it takes effect immediately. If you no longer want to receive a specific channel (text, call, or email), you can turn it off there as well. If you need help making a change, contact Megan.

I'm part of more than one group, team, or location. Can I still get the alerts that apply to me?

Yes. When you sign up at https://embeds.regroupcloud.com/orgs/DentonCountyESD1/channels/citizen-subscriptions/signup_embed, you can select all the groups, teams, departments, or locations you're affiliated with. This ensures you receive alerts relevant to each one you've selected.

A couple of things worth doing if you're registering on behalf of a team or group:

• Use a number that reaches a real person, not an automated menu. A phone tree can cut off a voice alert before the message finishes.
• If more than one person on your team should know when an alert comes in, either have each person sign up individually, or add their numbers and emails to a shared account.

How do I know a message is really from Denton County ESD  and not a scam?

Denton County ESD won't ask you for a password, a payment, a Social Security number, or bank details in an alert, and it won't send you a link to log in and "confirm" your account. You're never expected to reply with personal information. If a message asks for any of that, it isn't from Denton County ESD. Don't respond, and don't call back the number that asked you.

What should I do when I get a message?

Read or listen to the whole message before you act. The specific instruction is often at the end, so don't hang up or swipe away halfway through.

What the message asks of you depends on what it is. An emergency alert might tell you to evacuate, shelter in place, avoid a certain area, or take a specific safety step — follow those instructions. A routine update might just be letting you know about a closure, a schedule change, or a service notice, with nothing you need to do.

Why might a message not reach me?

Usually it comes down to one of these:

• Your information is out of date. If your phone number or email changed and you didn't update your profile, alerts go to the old one — this is the most common reason people miss messages.
• There's no location on your profile. Location-based alerts, including weather warnings, are sent to the area they affect. Without a location on file, the system can't tell you're in that area, so those alerts skip you.
• Your carrier or phone settings are blocking or filtering unknown callers. An alert can get caught this way. Saving Denton County ESD's dedicated number as a contact usually clears this up.
• You opted out. If you previously unsubscribed, that channel stays off until you turn it back on.

If you've checked all of these and still aren't receiving alerts, contact Megan Reynolds at MReynolds@DentonCountyESD1.gov to confirm your information is in the system.

Alerts sent via SMS may not be delivered if the mobile phone is not within range of a transmission site or if sufficient network capacity is unavailable at the time of transmission. Even within a coverage area, factors beyond the control of the wireless carrier may impact message delivery, including the customer’s equipment, terrain, proximity to buildings, foliage, weather conditions, and other environmental factors.

Will alerts come through if my phone is on Do Not Disturb?

It depends on your phone's settings. Since alerts come from Denton County ESD's dedicated number, [insert number], saving it as a contact increases the chance it comes through even with Do Not Disturb enabled, depending on how your device is configured (for example, allowing calls/texts from contacts to bypass Do Not Disturb). To ensure that urgent, time-sensitive notifications always reach you, please verify your phone's settings.

Has the system actually been tested? How do I know it works?

Yes. Denton County ESD periodically sends test messages to confirm the system is working and that contact information is up to date. If you receive a message labeled as a test, no action is needed — it simply confirms your information is current.

Will I still get alerts if there's a power outage or the network is down?

Regroup is built with redundancy in mind. Because alerts can be sent across multiple channels — cellular text, voice call, and email — a disruption to one path doesn't necessarily affect the others. That said, if your specific device is without power or signal, you won't receive a message on that device until service is restored. Keeping more than one contact method on file (for example, a cell number and an email) gives you the best chance of getting through.

How quickly will I receive an alert once it's sent?

Most people receive a text, call, or email within moments. Delivery speed can vary slightly depending on your carrier or email provider, which is another reason it helps to have more than one contact method on file.

Is my information private and secure?

Yes. Your information is used to send you Denton County ESD alerts, and that's it.

• Your contact details are used only for official Denton County ESD communications. They aren't sold, rented, or used for marketing.
• They aren't shared with outside parties, except where the law requires it.
• Regroup, the platform Denton County ESD uses to send alerts, complies with applicable data protection laws and regulations.

How long is my information kept, and can I have it removed?

Denton County ESD determines how long your information is retained, based on its own data policies. Regroup, as the platform provider, retains your data only as long as needed to deliver notification services on Denton County ESD's behalf.

If you'd like your information updated or removed, contact Megan Reynolds at MReynolds@DentonCountyESD1.gov, who can submit that request through Regroup's system.

Do I need to download an app, or will I get alerts without one?

You don't need the app to receive alerts — text, voice call, and email work on their own. The app is an additional, optional way to receive and interact with alerts, and it offers a few features those channels don't, like location-based alerts and the ability to respond directly or receive images, instructions, among others.  For personnel that deploy, this allows you to have the ability to receive emergency notifications based on your location even though you are outside of the area served by Denton County ESD.

How do I download and set up the app?

Download the Regroup Mobile app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android). Once installed, sign in using your email address and Denton County ESD's network code, DentonCountyESD1, to connect your account.

Is the app free?

Yes. The app is free to download and use. 

Why would I want the app instead of just texts or calls?

The app delivers alerts as push notifications, which travel over your data connection rather than the traditional cellular network used for texts and calls. That means alerts can still reach you even when cell towers are congested or SMS is delayed — which can matter most during a widespread emergency, when networks are under heavy strain.

Can I respond to an alert through the app?

Yes. Unlike a text or phone call, the app allows two-way communication — you can reply to certain alerts with a text response, a photo, or a voice recording. This is useful for confirming your safety, reporting a concern, or giving Denton County ESD more detail about a situation.

Do I need to keep location services on for alerts to work?

Location services need to be enabled for the app to send you geo-targeted alerts based on where you actually are. You'll still receive alerts tied to your registered address without location services on, but you may miss alerts specific to your current location if you're somewhere else.

Does the app track my location in real time?

No. Neither Denton County ESD nor Regroup can view your device location in real time.

For Geofence Alerts, location services are only used while an active geofence message is running. The app uses background location access only to determine whether you have entered, are inside, or have left a designated geofence area so the appropriate alert can be delivered.

You control these permissions on your device. Regroup does not track your personal activities, fitness data, or location outside of an enabled geofence feature.

Will the app drain my battery or use a lot of data?

The app is designed to run efficiently in the background and typically uses minimal battery and data, similar to other notification-based apps (e.g., weather or messaging apps).

What if I don't have a smartphone — can I still get alerts?

Yes. The app is optional. As long as you're signed up with a phone number or email, you'll still receive alerts by text, voice call, or email — you're not required to use the app to stay informed.

Who do I contact if I need help?

Start with Megan Reynolds at MReynolds@DentonCountyESD1.gov . If you have a technical issue with the Regroup system, their support team is available 24/7 at 855-734-7687 or support@regroup.com.