Region 26 Emergency Management in Taylor will provide the CodeRED warning service to residents and businesses in their eight county service area which includes Thomas, Blaine, Loup, Garfield, Wheeler, Greeley, Valley and Sherman counties. This means that residents who sign up for this service can receive the National Weather Service’s Storm Based Warnings through their home phones, cell phones and/or email addresses within moments after a warning has been issued as well as receiving Emergency alerts on other disasters. For weather warning when registering, you are allowed to choose the type of weather warning you want to receive as in Tornado, Severe Thunderstorm or Flooding.
To be on the ‘on call’ list you must sign up by simply logging onto www.region26.org and click on CodeRED and follow instructions on the Enrollment page. Alma Beland, Region 26 Director recommends that those without Internet or those needing help with Internet ask a family member or friend to help you get registered.
The system allows individuals to register up to four phone numbers and four email addresses per location. Another feature of the system leaves a callback number if you don’t answer. Your caller ID will read Emergency Communications Network or 800-566-9780 for Weather warnings. For other warnings the number showing will be 866-419-5000.
“Residents can simply dial the number displayed on their Caller ID to hear the last message delivered,” Beland said, “This will greatly reduce the number of inbound inquiries handled by our office and will offer residents an immediate replay of the last message.”
The weather warning is an opt-in only warning product that taps into the National Weather Service’s Storm Based Warnings and these automatically alert affected citizens in the path of severe weather just moments after a warning has been issued. Only those people that are registered online with addresses within the polygon that the National Weather Service posts will be called in these events.
Region 26 is very pleased to be able to offer this service to their residents. A portion of this service is made possible with Homeland Security Grant funds.
Editor’s note: You can also sign up by clicking on the code red logo in this story.
