April 9, 2009
The City of Portland has contracted with Emergency Communications Network, Inc., of Ormond Beach, Florida, for its "CodeRED" high-speed telephone emergency notification services. The CodeRED system gives city officials the ability to deliver pre-recorded emergency telephone notification/information messages as well as severe weather alerts to targeted areas or the entire city at a rate of up to 60,000 calls per hour.
Al West, Portland's Public Safety Director, cautioned that such systems are only as good as the telephone database supporting them, stating: "If your phone number is not in the database, you will not be called.” The CodeRED system not only offers faster calling rates and improved message delivery, it gives individuals and businesses the ability to add their own phone numbers directly to the system's telephone database. West emphasized that this is an extremely important feature.
To ensure no one is omitted, West urges all individuals and businesses to log onto the City of Portland's website, www.cityofportlandtn.gov, and follow the link to the "CodeRED Residential and Business Data Collection" page. Those without Internet access will be able to go to Portland’s City Hall, Monday through Friday, (8AM-4:30PM) to enter their information using a computer set up for specifically for this purpose. Internet access is also available to the public at the Elmer Hinton Library on Portland Blvd. Required information includes first and last name, street address (physical address, no P.O. boxes), city, state, zip code, and primary phone number, additional phone numbers (optional).
No one should automatically assume his or her phone number is included, West said. All businesses should register, as well as all individuals who have unlisted phone numbers, who have changed their phone number or address within the last year, and who use a cellular phone as their primary home phone.
West explained: “The CodeRED system is a geographical based notification system, which means street addresses are needed to select which phone numbers will receive emergency notification calls in any given situation. The system works fine for cell phones too, but we MUST have a street address.” People who have recently moved but kept the same listed or unlisted phone number also need to change their address in the database.
West stated: "CodeRED gives those who want to be included an easy and secure method for doing so. The information will only be used for emergency notification purposes.”
If anyone has questions regarding this service, please contact the City Recorder’s Office (615-325-6776) at City Hall, Monday through Friday from 8AM to 4:30 PM.