CodeRED
CodeRED is the reverse telephone alert system Kiowa County uses to
notify residents and businesses regarding emergency information,
including severe weather and evacuations.
Most residents have been automatically entered in
the system (home telephone numbers only). Cell phones and business
telephone numbers have not been entered. If you would like to enter new
information, update your existing information, or add business or cell
phone information,
click here.
If you are not sure if your information is in the
CodeRED system, feel free to enter it - we automatically handle
duplicate information.
How can I sign up for CodeRED?
If you have home telephone service through Eastern
Slope Rural Telephone Association or Fairpoint Communications, and the
service has been active for at least a year, you may already be signed
up. If you are already signed up, you can re-enter your information to
ensure it is up to date.
There are several ways to sign up. From this web
site, click on any CodeRED icon, such as the one toward the upper right
of this page.
Kiowa County residents can stop by the Kiowa
County Public Library, located in the courthouse at 1305 Goff Street,
Eads. Library staff have received training to help you enter your
information, or you may use one of the public access computers to enter
your own information.
You may call the Kiowa County Division of
Emergency Management Office at 719-438-2288 and provide your information
over the phone. Regular business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday
through Friday. NOTE: due to trainings, meetings and other needs, the
office may not have staff to answer the phone during some parts of the
day.
You may call the Kiowa County Sheriff's Office at
719-438-5411 and provide your information over the phone. Regular
business hours and provide your information to dispatcher Delisa Weeks.
Is my business phone number automatically signed
up?
Business phone numbers are not automatically
provided by the local telephone company. If you would like your business
phone number to receive alerts, follow the instructions in the "How do I
sign up for CodeRED" section.
Can I sign up for CodeRED if I live outside of
the county?
The sign up system from this web site only covers
alerts for Kiowa County, Colorado. If you would like to sign up for
alerts for other areas, contact you local Sheriff, Emergency Manager or
Police department for details.
We recognize that there may be situations where a
person outside of our county may have a need to receive Kiowa County
alerts. If you sign up with a telephone number from outside of the area,
we may contact you before approving your signup to verify your need to
receive local alerts. In many cases we may approve your request, but
keep in mind that CodeRED if funded by local 911 fees assessed on local
telephones, and we must give priority consideration to residents.
How does CodeRED work?
The Bent/Kiowa dispatch center or the emergency
management office record a message with information about the specific
emergency and select an area to call. An automated system then calls all
numbers in the selected area to deliver the message.
If I'm on the phone, will I still get the
message?
The system redials numbers that are busy up to
three times in order to deliver the message. In addition, if the system
does not reach a minimum number of live calls or answering machines, it
will automatically restart the calling process for those numbers it did
not reach, and try again up to three times. Once the system delivers a
message to a person or answering machine, it will not call that number
again.
How will I know the call is from CodeRED?
If you have Caller ID on your home telephone or
cell phone, it will most likely display 999-911-9999 to let you know an
emergency information call is coming in.
Do I have to receive calls from CodeRED?
No. If you do not wish to receive emergency
telephone alerts, send your name, telephone number, and e-mail address
to chris@kiowaoem.com, and we
will place you on our no-contact list. If you decide later that you do
want to receive emergency telephone alerts, simply return to this web
site, click on a CodeRED icon, and re-enter your information.
How often is CodeRED used?
As often as a situation dictates. For severe
weather, such as tornado warnings, you may receive several different
calls in one day. In some months, you may not receive any calls.
How does CodeRED work with cell phones?
The address you list when you enter a cell phone
number dictates when you receive calls. For example, if you list a
Sheridan Lake address, and emergency occurs in that area, you will
receive the call even if you are not in Sheridan Lake at the time.
Additionally, if an emergency occurs outside of Sheridan Lake, and you
happen to be in that area, you will not receive a call. This is a
limitation of current reverse notification systems and cell technology.
Can I enter my cell phone number with a different
address?
Yes. Some people choose to create an entry for
their cell phone with their work address listed as a "home" address,
especially if they work many miles away from home. Keep in mind that you
may not receive all alerts on both phones. If an emergency occurs in an
area that covers only one of the addresses you have listed, only the
phone in the covered area will ring. For larger emergencies, both
addresses may be covered, so both phones may ring.
How much does CodeRED cost?
For 2009, the cost of CodeRED service is covered
by the 911 fee assessed to your monthly telephone bill. The area 911
board has elected to use a portion of the revenue from those fees to
cover the annual contract for CodeRED. This arrangement may continue in
the future, but will be decided on an annual basis.
Who do I contact if I have comments or questions
about CodeRED?
In Kiowa County, you may contact the Division of
Emergency Management at 719-438-2288 or by email at
chris@kiowaoem.com. |
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