In Case of Emergency - Notify Me!

Courtesy of Nevada Appeal

Last week a brush fire burned near one of my favorite campgrounds. Fire crews were able to quickly contain the blaze and campers were only evacuated for a short time. I thought getting rained out of my July camping trip was a bummer… yikes! What stuck with me was how close another wildfire had been to my home. After all, the reason why those particular campgrounds are some of my favorites is because they’re just a quick trip from my driveway.

When I shared my concerns with my neighbor, she told me how reassured she was that she’d signed up for our county’s emergency notification system. In the event of an emergency in our area, she’ll receive a message that will let her know what’s going on.

I have to admit, I assumed I would be notified automatically.  Now I know that this is not the case, especially since I don’t have a land line.  Thanks to my recent discussion with an emergency services dispatcher, I know what goes on behind the scenes when someone calls 911 to report a fire. (Read that blog article here.)  It makes sense that emergency services would need to know how to get ahold of me to tell me if a fire or other type of emergency threatened my home and family.

A quick google search brought up Washoe County’s emergency management homepage and directed me to sign up for the Code Red system. It was very simple for me to enter my address, cell phone number and email address for emergency notification purposes. I can receive the messages via call and text, and was able to set up a password for my account to adjust my information if it changes in the future.

In their publication, Fire Adapted Communities: The Next Step in Wildfire Preparedness, Living With Fire addresses emergency notification systems. Apparently several Nevada counties use different emergency notification systems that can contact community members similarly to how the Code Red system will contact me. The publication encourages homeowners to enter multiple forms of contact information if the database will allow. If a landline is the only number the database will call, a homeowner may not receive the notification if the power is down or if they’re not home. Check with your county’s emergency management department, local fire department or sheriff’s office to see if there is an emergency notification system being used in your county, and to find out how you can sign up.

I feel so relieved after signing up. I understand that no system is perfect, but I’m glad I have another way to keep apprised of emergencies in my area.

Natalie Newcomer