Sheriff: CodeRED response 'fantastic'

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Red Willow County Sheriff and Emergency Manager Gene Mahon said that response to the county's new "CodeRed Emergency Notification System" has been fantastic.

The system, which started making its first phone calls Wednesday, gives residents notification of county-wide disasters or emergencies.

The message that was delivered Wednesday directed recipients to the Red Willow County website to verify contact numbers, add additional contact numbers and request weather alerts as well. It also asked that recipients spread the word by mentioning the system to family, friends and neighbors.

Co-Emergency Manager Diana Wilkinson said their office continues to make the emergency alert phone calls.

A verification company will contact individual phone numbers that did not answer, removing those from the data base if they're not needed. Officials are estimating 4,600 phone numbers county-wide in the data base.

Sheriff Mahon said residents can register on the web site at any time. He urges all county residents to visit the web site and verify contact information, adding unlisted phone numbers, cell phone numbers and other non-traditional phones as well as e-mail and text addresses.

"If your contact information is not in the database, you will not receive a call when an urgent message is sent," Sheriff Mahon said.

Information required is a street address for location purposes (a physical address, not a post office box number); and a primary phone number. Additional phone numbers and e-mail and text addresses may also be entered, as well as the request for weather information.

Mahon said that his office has received many positive comments about the new alert system. "It's going to be a good thing," he said.

Anyone with questions about the system, concerns about registering or those without access to computers or the web site are encouraged to call the sheriff's office, (308) 345-1850, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m until 3 p.m., for assistance.