CodeRED Alert System
What is CodeRED?
The Town of Vinton has implemented an emergency alert system called CodeRED and is asking all residents and businesses located within Town of Vinton and East Roanoke County limits to register for these alerts.
The CodeRED platform works jointly with a pre-loaded database, the federal IPAWS network, and the National Weather Service to send automated messages about large scale threats, such as tornadoes and severe thunderstorms.
The Town can send automated emergency alerts to residents’ and businesses' landline phones with the notification system. It can also send automated emergency alerts to cell phones and email addresses of those who register for the alerts. This system will allow us to notify all of the Town, or targeted areas, in case of an emergency situation that requires immediate action.
You will receive messages such as:
- Evacuation notices
- Criminal activities
- Shelter in place/lockdown alerts
- Missing child/person alerts
- Boil water advisories
- Road closures due to construction, accidents, special events, or other issues
- Notifications of hazardous traffic or road conditions
- Severe weather alerts
- Natural disaster information
- General Town information
In addition, all subscribers have the option to opt-in to non-emergency community alerts.
Learn how the CodeRED Emergency Notification system works in this short video.
Who needs to register?
The Town is encouraging all residents and businesses located within Town of Vinton and East Roanoke County limits to register for the alerts.
While some alerts are sent automatically to landline phones, individuals and businesses with landlines must register in order to receive emergency notifications from federal agencies such as the National Weather Service for alerts about emergencies such as tornado warnings. Also, by registering you can confirm that your landline information provided by the phone company is correct.
You also need to register if you would like text, emails, or phone call alerts of any kind sent to your cell phones and/or phone calls to unlisted landline phone numbers.
How do I register?
To register online, go to CodeRed's Community Notification Enrollment Portal, or click on either of the CodeRED banners at the top or near the bottom of this web page. You can also text the word TOVAlerts to 99411 to receive a direct link to the signup portal on your mobile device. Review instructions on how to register online.
Once on the CodeRED enrollment portal, you can enter your contact information and select the types of alerts you’d like to receive. There is no charge to you to sign up for this service.
If you need assistance registering, or if you do not have access to the internet, you may contact the Town of Vinton at 540-983-0601, and select the CodeRED enrollment assistance option.
All contact information is kept secure and used for emergency and notification purposes only. Review the CodeRED Privacy Policy.
What types of CodeRED accounts are available to choose from when I sign up?
It is recommended that you create a managed account so you will have access later on to modify your existing notification settings and contact information. Below is a list of all your account options:
- Single Sign-on Account: To create a single sign-on account, click the button next to “Yes” and click the corresponding logo to the credentials you would like to use, either Google, Facebook or Twitter. You will be prompted to log into your account to permit access.
- Managed Account: To create a managed account, click the button next to “Yes” and create a username and password. Please be sure to record this information for later use (NOTE: username: must be 6 characters or more; password: 8 characters or more) With this type of account, you will be able to log back in and update your contact information at a later date.
- Non-managed Account: With this type of account, you will not have another option to create an account later in the form, or have the ability to log back in and update your contact information at a later date.
How will I know a call or text is from CodeRED?
CodeRED messages will have the caller ID number of 866-419-5000 for emergencies, the caller ID number 855-969-4636 for non-emergencies, and the caller ID number 800-566-9780 for the weather warning system. It is highly recommended you program the numbers in your cell phone as a "new contact" and use "CodeRED Emergency", "CodeRED General", and CodeRED Weather" as the contact names for the numbers. Text messages will come from the number 76993.
If you miss a CodeRED call and need to replay the emergency notification again, simply redial the number on your caller ID, and you will be able to hear the notification again.
CodeRED Mobile App
With the CodeRED Mobile Alert app – the nation’s most downloaded public safety notification app – OnSolve enables subscribers to receive these notifications directly to their mobile device whether at home, on the road, or traveling around the country.
These mobile push notifications deliver relevant, location-based alerts based on GPS location to ensure you receive critical information when you are in a CodeRED client’s jurisdiction.
The CodeRED Mobile App is available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play. Search for "CodeRED Mobile Alert".
Find out more information and download the CodeRED mobile app today!
FAQS
View all Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for more information on CodeRED.