BERLIN – As National Preparedness Month kicks off, Berlin officials want to remind residents of one small way they can ensure they stay aware of the latest local issues.
Berlin officials encourage residents to sign up for the emergency notification system CodeRED.
“It’s a really good way for people to keep informed regarding road closures or general activities in town,” said Laura Allen, Berlin’s town administrator.
The town implemented CodeRED in 2014 after researching public notification systems that were being used by area school systems. Berlin officials thought a mass notification system would be an easy way to share important information with residents. Allen says it’s worked out well in the three years since. Last month, for example, officials were able to use CodeRED to inform residents of an upcoming William Street closure, a tornado warning and a storm drain repair.
Citizens can sign up for CodeRED on the town’s website. In doing so, they can choose how they want to receive emergency alerts—via phone call, text message or email.
Allen said there were currently 1,400 phone numbers signed up for CodeRED alerts. She encourages those who haven’t yet signed up for the service to do so.
“It’s a very convenient way for people to keep track of what’s going on,” she said.
She says the system has proven particularly useful in Berlin, as the town operates its own electric utility. When there are outages, residents are advised through CodeRED.
It saves you having to call,” she said, “and you know what to expect. We don’t get nearly the calls we used to. We could not keep up with them.”
The town is also able to localize the alerts it puts out. If there’s an electrical outage or street closure in just one neighborhood, for example, residents of that part of town are the ones who receive notification.
Allen said that while the town typically issued press releases and shared announcements on its website and social media accounts, CodeRED provided an additional method to keep the community informed.
“It’s just another way for us to get the word out,” she said.
