Emergency Notification Systems
September 15th, 2015
Washoe County's CodeRED logo
In July’s post (which you can read here), I talked about the importance of creating a Family Emergency Plan in order to prepare for wildfire. Since I really had no clue what I would do in a real-life evacuation, I decided to do a little research. I inquired about evacuation routes and found out that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach for everyone. This is because each incident is different and the routes are difficult to predict. So, it was recommended that I sign up for my specific location’s emergency notification system. For me, this service is Washoe County Code Red. The Code Red Notification system, which is easy and free to sign up for, uses a series of remote computers and telephone lines to relay a recorded message during an emergency. The notifications can be sent to multiple phone lines and email addresses, and will give you specific instructions as to how to respond to an emergency in your area.
It’s also important to pay attention to announcements on the radio or TV and the Emergency Alert System in terms of getting information on a current emergency situation. Social media can be helpful as well. I know that not everyone likes (or understands) social media, but it really is a valuable tool for officials to send information quickly to a large amount of people. I bet your local emergency services department has a social media account! Washoe County’s Facebook page can be found here.
So, I signed up for Code Red and feel a bit more at ease in terms of what to do in an emergency with this information. Why not take some time right now to learn about your area’s emergency notification systems? A good place to start is by calling your county’s emergency management department, local fire department or Sheriff’s department. If you live in Washoe County and would like to sign up for CODE Red, visit their site here. And check out our Wildfire Evacuation Checklist here for more tips on how to prepare for a wildfire evacuation!
Share with us what you learned about your area’s emergency notification systems in the comments. Together, we can all be informed!