Oklahoma: Texting takes on twisters

Oklahoma is the heart of "Tornado Alley," with more than 25 category F3, F4, and F5 tornadoes (the three most intense types) per 3,700 square miles per year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recorded 77 incidents last year alone.

Now, coinciding with the spring and summer tornado season, the Oklahoma state legislature and the National Weather Service are reminding residents of the area that they can receive free emergency notification e-mails and text messages to supplement the familiar blaring air raid sirens and high-octane TV tornado warnings that echo throughout the Sooner State.

However, the service is not provided at the carrier level, like the FCC's CMAS or Commercial Mobile Alert System, which is to be distributed to all compatible devices by default. Rather, it is an extension of the Oklahoma Weather Alert Remote Notification service (OK-WARN) which was funded by FEMA in 1999 as a service to hearing impaired residents of the area that must be opted into. Residents can subscribe to alerts in up to five counties which cover winter warnings, flash floods, severe thunderstorms, and, of course, tornadoes.