The Kane County Office of Emergency Management uses the CodeRED emergency notification system to distribute emergency information and critical community alerts to the public.

And you can sign up to get it, right now, at no cost.

Don Bryant, director of the Office of Emergency Management, said the alert system is available on multiple platforms and has the power to save your family’s life.

“With CodeRED, we can simultaneously call, text, or email the affected community to deliver warnings and critical safety instructions,” he said. “The system is capable of sending messages only to specific neighborhoods or the entire community.”

So, in what kind of situations will CodeRED be used? It will be used to notify the public of major utility outages, evacuation notices, missing or lost persons, floods, major roadway issues, significant criminal situations, chemical spills or gas leaks.

You won’t be slammed by multiple messages every day. You won’t be pestered for advertisements or gimmicks of any kind. But you will receive vital information as quickly as it’s available at the time you really need it.

When you receive a CodeRED alert, you should listen carefully to the entire message and follow the instructions given. You may be directed to a commercial TV or radio station for further information.

Do not hang up until you have heard the entire message or you might miss vital information. Do not call 911 for further information unless directed to do so or if you need immediate aid from the police, EMS or the fire department.

To make sure you receive these critical notifications, you can either click on the link to sign up on line or download the mobile app onto your cell phone.

“Staying informed during an emergency is critical to you and your family,” Brant said. “Sign up for CodeRED today!”

SOURCE: Kane County Office of Emergency Management