We are publishing this press release to encourage all to sign up for code red from the office of emergency managment. stay informed and be prepared when an emergency incideent occurs in grand county. see details below:
Contact Person: Cpt. Nowell Curran 970-509-9500 ncurran@co.grand.co.us
The Office of Emergency Management wants to talk to you
The Grand County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is proud to announce the public information and warning systems established to provide urgent emergency information to the community. Information provided by Emergency Management enables residents and visitors to be prepared and informed when an emergency incident occurs in the county. Due to the geographically challenging area we live in, no single method of notification works for everyone. This has resulted in, OEM, incorporating several different tools that can be utilized to obtain necessary public information and warning.
www.gcemergency.com is a web site that is managed by the OEM. It provides up-to-the-minute emergency notification and information concerning incidents that affect the community. This site helps instruct and inform residents and visitors of what to do, where to go, or what they need in the case of an emergency.
Code Red is a communication tool that works for cells phones as Reverse 911 works for landlines. This service has been especially beneficial to community members and second home owners who may not have a landline phone in their home. In times of evacuation, fire, hazardous material spills, shelters, and drinking water contaminations, the CodeRED system will call your registered mobile phone and playback a recorded message from the Grand County Office of Emergency Management. It can also send text and/or email to inform you of the incident and important instructions to follow. This tool was especially helpful to the Kremmling residents during the water contamination incident in September of 2009. Community residents who were registered were informed of where they could pick up potable water during the crisis and when the water was again safe to drink.
Along with these two communication resources the Office of Emergency Management was awarded two variable message sign boards through a state grant that can be positioned in areas throughout the county. These signs can be used to inform the public of open shelters, flu clinics, evacuations and other urgent situations. In addition to these mobile boards OEM will be placing indoor scrolling messaging boards which will be located in known public gathering places throughout Grand County. The above notification systems are tools that OEM has purchased and maintains to notify the public. These notification systems that OEM uses are provided to the county, free of charge as a public service to the community.
These are all communication tools for the Office of Emergency Management to get the “word” out. There is another available resource for the community to provide helpful information. This is 211 United Way. Through the 211 call center, community members may register so that responders can identify and be prepared to contact people who may not have a vehicle, are on Oxygen or a ventilator, or may be immobilized whether temporarily or permanently.
Residents and visitors can also be informed by the National Weather Service Civil Emergency Message (CEM) broadcast. These messages are requested through the Office of Emergency Management and would broadcast through the NOAA weather radio in the west end of the county, where it is only currently available. The Civil Emergency message will be passed on to TV and Radio stations which would then inform the public either through the radio DJ or a scrolling message at the bottom of your television screen.
The priority and primary goal of the OEM is to keep people safe, knowledgeable and informed in emergency situations. To accomplish that, OEM constantly strives to implement the most up-to-date communication methods available to get the information to the public. OEM encourages community members and stakeholders to utilize these tools that are available to them to help reach a better state of readiness. Registration is made easy through the web link www.gcemergency.com for all of these tools. Or the Grand County Office of Emergency Management is also available to assist with questions or help in registering at (970) 887-2732.
