As Woodbury officials discussed Wednesday the powers of the mayor and city council and coordination plans during a civic emergency, it also served a reminder that residents can sign up for alerts about such situations.
Since 2011 the city has offered the Code Red service, which can go citywide or to people within a specific geographical area, said Mike Richardson, Woodbury emergency services commander.
It was used six times last year, he said. For example, it was used in one neighborhood about a missing person, once about a gas leak, and another time to tell residents who live along the Woodbury Days parade route that floats and bands would be coming through.
There is also a smart phone application people can download, Richardson said.
The alert system was first used in March 2012, when police sealed off part of the Royal Oaks neighborhood after the Public Safety Department got a call that a person who had access to a gun may have been suicidal. Officers responded to the home and made contact with the individual, who told police there was not a problem.
The CodeRED system is only used for “emergency and life-safety purposes,” according to a notice on the city’s website. “Examples of incidents when CodeRED could be used include: missing child alerts, chemical or gas leak, fires or floods, extended utility outage, evacuation notice and route, and other instances where rapid and accurate information are essential for life safety. The system will not be used for weather warnings, but may be used for follow-up information such as evacuations or shelter locations.”
To sign up, visit the city’s website.
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