Code RED - Town of Prospect

Prospect's Emergency Notification System

The Town of Prospect will implement the Code RED Emergency Notification System - a high-speed telephone communication system for emergency notifications. The Code RED system gives city officials the ability to deliver pre-recorded emergency telephone notification/information messages to targeted areas or the entire city at a rate of up to 60,000 calls per hour.

TO BE ADDED PLEASE CALL TOWN HALL at (203)758-4461

What is CodeRED Emergency Alert System Used For:

Floods
Fires
Drinking Water Contamination
Bomb Threats
Missing Children or Missing Persons
Utility Outages
Prisoner Escape Warning
Sexual Predator Alert
Hostage Situations

and any other emergency incident where rapid and accurate notification is essential for life safety.

What YOU should know about Prospect's CodeRED Service

What is CodeRED and why is it important to me?

CodeRED is a new Prospect service, effective June1, 2008, by which town officials can notify town residents by telephone about emergency situations or critical community alerts. The system is capable of sending messages only to people affected by a particular situation, or, in the case of a widespread emergency like a hurricane, to the Town's entire population.

The speed of the CodeRED system (up to 60,000 calls per hour) is so great that the Town is able to send a message to affected households as quickly as Town officials become aware on the situation.

Does this mean the City will be calling me constantly?

No. Prospect respects your privacy. CodeRED will be used only when situations arise that you should know about.

The system will be used to send messages only to those residents who are directly affected by a particular event. For example, if you happen to live in an area for which a "boil water" advisory has been issued due to a water main break, CodeRED will call only you and your neighbors to deliver that very important health advisory.

If there is a Town or region-wide emergency such as a hurricane, all Prospect residents will be called and kept up to date on developments.

For what kinds of situations will CodeRED be used?

Why do I need CodeRED when I have radio and TV to keep me informed?

CodeRED is an additional measure of safety the Town of Prospect administration believes all of our residents need and deserve. If power goes out, you may be able to depend upon radio and TV. However, because telephone lines are self-powered, the City can continue to keep you informed through messages delivered by CodeRED.

Even if you have power, CodeRED will probably be able to reach you with important information faster than TV and radio stations can put it on the air. That's because CodeRED is a direct connection between you and Prospect.

And unlink hurricanes, many emergencies occur without advance warning. In such cases, you may have no reason to turn on a TV or radio. That's when CodeRED can help Prospect officials alert you immediately and advise you to take appropriate action.

I have a cordless phone, and it does not work when the power goes out. How is the town going to be able to contact me?

There are two ways you can continue to receive telephone messages from the Town through CodeRED:

Make sure you have at least one working corded telephone - and be sure to turn the ringer on.
The CodeRED "Residential Data Collection" sign-up form gives you the option of filling in both a Primarty Phone number and an alternate phone number. You can fill in the Alternate Phone number blank with your cell telephone number, or you can make it your Primary Phone number if you wish. Entering an alternate phone number will cause BOTH your primarty and alternate phone numbers to be called.

Of course, no form of communication is guaranteed to remain in operation under severe conditions such as those produced by a powerful hurricane or a wildfire. CodeRED does widen the safety margin by offering Town residents another new and powerful means of learning about vital, timely information.

Do I have to pay extra for CodeRED service?

Does the Town have my telephone number, or do I have to sign up to receive CodeRED emergency calls?

We strongly encourage you to sign up for CodeRED. After all, you are the most reliable source of information about how to reach your household by phone.

Because the Town of Prospect wants to reach everyone affected by an emergency whether or not they have signed up for CodeRED, two Prospect telephone number databases are already available to the system. One is the emergency 9-1-1 database all public safety agencies in Sarasota County use whenever someone dials 9-1-1. The other is a database prepared by the company that supplies CodeRED service to the Town. Both databases are updated regularly.

If you have moved or changed your telephone number recently, you should defintely sign up for CodeRED service or update information you have already provided. Any new information you supply will automatically replace old information.

I live near Prospect, but I am not a resident. Can I sign up for CodeRED?

No, unfortunately. Prospect pays for CodeRED service based on its own population. However, we encourage you to check with the county or city in which you live. Many use automated telephone notification systems to alert residents in times of emergency.

City staff members regularly check the CodeRED database and eliminate addresses and telephone numbers not located within Prospect's borders.

Want to learn more about CodeRED and the Emergency Communications Network for the Town of Prospect. Click here for more Frequently Asked Questions about CodeRED.

If you have any further questions on CodeRED, or for signing up on the Residential Data Collection form, please call the Mayor's Office at (203) 758-4461.