Media Release

ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - Alachua County Emergency Management will be utilizing the CodeRED Emergency Notification System on Tuesday, May 4, 2010, to call the entire community.

The calls will begin in the morning and continue until the entire database has been attempted.  This call will give County personnel the chance to operate the system as if there has been a community wide disaster.

The message that is being delivered directs recipients to the County web site to add additional contact numbers and it also asks that recipients spread the word by mentioning the system to family, friends and neighbors.

David Donnelly, Emergency Management Chief, suggests that, “All individuals and businesses should take the time to visit our website and add contact information to include cellular phones and other non-traditional phones as well as email and text addresses.  If your contact information is not in the database you will not receive a call when an urgent message is sent.” In particular businesses should register, as well as individuals who have unlisted phone numbers, who have changed their phone number recently, and those who use a cellular phone exclusively or have Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones, such as Vonage, as their primary numbers.

Donnelly urges citizens to log onto the County website at www.alachuacounty.us/em and follow the CodeRED link right sidebar of the page.  Those without Internet access may call 352-264-6500, Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Required information includes a street address (physical address, no P.O. boxes) for location purposes and a primary phone number.  Additional phone numbers, email and text addresses may also be entered.

For more information, click here, or contact Alachua County Emergency Management at 352-264-6500.