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THIS MESSAGE SYSTEM WILL ONLY BE USED
FOR EMERGENCY PURPOSES
Examples when the CodeRED
system could be utilized:
-
Drinking water contamination
-
Utility outage
-
Evacuation notice & route
-
Missing person
-
Fires or Floods
-
Bomb threat
-
Hostage situation
-
Chemical spill or Gas leak
and other emergency incidents where
rapid
and
accurate notification is essential for life safety.
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Through a grant from Entergy Nuclear
Palisades, the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office has instituted CodeRED,
locally known as
Van Buren County
Emergency Notification System
- an ultra high-speed telephone communication service for emergency
notifications. This system allows us to telephone all, or targeted
areas of Van Buren County, in case of an emergency situation that requires
immediate action (such as noted in the box above). The system is capable of dialing
50,000 phone numbers per hour. It then delivers our recorded message
to a live person or an answering machine, making three attempts to
connect to any number.
CodeRED is a geographical based system
where street addresses are needed to select the telephone numbers
that will receive emergency notification calls. The system uses
existing public data bases to collect telephone numbers for the
call-outs, but sometimes those data bases contain outdated
information. Therefore, no one should automatically assume his or
her telephone number is included. All individuals and businesses
should register, who have unlisted phone numbers, those who have
changed their phone number or address within the last year, and those
who use a cellular phone as their home phone.
CodeRED will already reach the
majority of residents who have a landline phone, so there should be
no need to register that phone number. However, Van Buren County
Sheriff's Office encourages citizens to register their phone number
if…
- You have moved or changed your
phone number in the last 6 months,
- You have an unlisted phone number,
- You use your cell phone as your
primary phone number,
- You use TDD/TTY equipment, and/or
- You are a business. (Businesses
are not automatically on CodeRED calling lists.)
In addition, you may register your
cell phone number or work number for back-up so you will still
receive the CodeRED alert if you cannot be reached at home.
*Pagers
cannot receive CodeRED emergency alerts*
The system works with cellular phones, but requires Van Buren County
street address. People who have recently moved to Van Buren County,
but kept the same listed or unlisted number, will need to update
their address in the database. When entering information, please
fill out all of the screens. The newest data entered will replace
the old data.
The information collected will remain
completely private and will only be made available to notify you of
critical situations.
Residential Phone Numbers
Residents may input an
unlisted number, cell phone number, or other secondary phone number
into the system for contact during an emergency situation. Use
the link at the top of this page to enter your Residential number into the system.
Business Phone
Numbers
Businesses are not automatically on
CodeRED calling lists. When there is an emergency in your
area, don’t be kept out of the loop. Use the link at the top
of this page, then select Switch to Business Data to register
and enter your business phone number(s).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is
CodeRED?
CodeRED,
locally known as
Van Buren County
Emergency Notification System, is a new
and fast communication service allowing the Van Buren
County Sheriff's Office to notify citizens of an emergency
situation. It enables mass notification quickly and easily by
telephone.
What is CodeRED used for?
CodeRED will be used for significant
incidents and events where the timely notification of an affected
population or geographic area is essential.
Will CodeRED be used for all
emergency notifications?
Yes. The system will be used to notify
citizens when an emergency situation arises affecting citizens of
Van Buren County. Click here to
view example situations.
How will I benefit from this service?
This high-speed telephone system will allow Van Buren County
Sheriff's Office to contact participants to provide information
about a critical situation, what action needs to be taken, and
notification that the situation has been resolved.
What do I have to do to receive this
benefit?
To receive CodeRED calls, you will need to click on the link at the
top of this page
and enter your information. This service
is FREE.
How does it work?
CodeRED delivers the important message through a high-speed
telephone calling system to a phone number that you input via the web. Van
Buren County Sheriff staff will access CodeRED via a secure portal
on the web. A "call area" will be marked identifying street
addresses. Telephone numbers will be matched up electronically to
these addresses and a pre-recorded message will be sent out via the
telephone with information about the incident and possibly
instructions for action to be taken.
What should I do if I receive a
CodeRED message?
* Listen Carefully
* Follow Instructions
* Don’t hang up until you hear the whole message (the message will
not be repeated)
* DO NOT call 9-1-1 unless instructed to do so (you will only tie
up emergency lines)
What does a CodeRED message sound
like?
The message will always begin with the
statement “This is a message from the Van Buren County Sheriff's.
Office” The remaining text will provide
information about the situation including how and if people need to
respond. You may be directed to turn to a local radio or television
station for updates and additional information. Following are samples of
what you might hear:
Chemical Spill – Shelter in
Place
This is a message from the Van Buren
County Sheriff's Office. Due to a hazardous
material release in your immediate area, all citizens are requested
to shelter in their homes, turn off all heating, air conditioning
and ventilation, close windows and doors and tape any gaps that will
allow air inside. Shelter within the inner most part of the house.
Bring all pets inside. Please do not call 9-1-1. Once the
situation is resolved, you will be notified via the telephone. Thank
you for your cooperation.
Chemical Spill – All Clear
This is a message from the
Van Buren County Sheriff's
Office. The hazardous
materials release has been taken care of and it is now safe to
resume normal activities. No necessary action need be taken. Thank
you for your cooperation.
What should I do if I don’t receive a
message?
Your area of Van Buren County may not be
affected. In which case, you won’t receive a call even if it’s
only a block away. Or, maybe your phone number and address
don’t match up, or are not even in the system. In that case,
we encourage you to the link at the top of this page to enter your Residential
or Business number into the system, and
follow the instructions.
What if I’m not home to receive
the alert message?
The CodeRED dialing system will leave the emergency alert
message on your voicemail or answering machine. If you do not have
voicemail or an answering machine, the dialer will attempt your
phone number 3 times. This would be a great reason to register your
work or cell phone number as a back-up number.
Will the system work with cell phones?
Yes. But, your cell phone number needs
to be associated with your Van Buren County address (this
notification only applies to incidents occurring in Van Buren
County). We encourage you to register your cell phone number
through the Residential Subscribe and Update link OR the
Business Subscribe and Update link at the top of this page..
Can I Opt Out of the CodeRED system?
If you are resident and you would like to OPT OUT of the CodeRED
system, click
here to
download the Opt Out form and submit it directly to the Van Buren
County Sheriff's Office (either by mail or in person) to 205 S.
Kalamazoo St., Paw Paw MI 49079. The form can also be
completed and attached and sent by
email.
Can businesses participate?
Yes, however, businesses are not automatically on CodeRED calling lists.
The Van Buren County Sheriff's Office encourages businesses to
register to receive the emergency alerts. Use the Business
Subscribe or Update link at the top of this page, then select
Switch to Business Data to register enter your business phone
number(s).
Can TDD/TTY equipment receive
the calls?
Yes. When you register your number, there is an option to
enter the TDD/TTY information.
Contact Us:
Van Buren County Sheriff's Office
1-888-273-8111
By
email.
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