codered

BY MARCY SHORTUSE - If you’ve picked up your home phone and heard the words, “code red” recently, it doesn’t mean it’s time to evacuate. It means that the Gasparilla Island Water Association has included you on their emergency notification list.

“We only did it on Wednesday, April 11,” said Bonnie Pringle, GIWA’s executive director. “Those that did not sign up are called only if their 964 number is not unlisted. If they sign up on the web site they can add their cell phone and email.”

Pringle said the system called more than 2,000 residents, with about 66% conected by either an answered call or voice mail.

It’s called CodeRED, a nationwide company that works with Emergency Communications Network. Together they handle large-volume call lists and will, if need be, let everyone on the island know if there are emergency messages such as precautionary boil water notices. The messages can be sent to either targeted areas or the entire island.

One of the reasons the CodeRED system was selected is that it gives individuals and businesses an easy and secure method to add their own phone numbers directly into the system’s database.

GIWA is ASKING all residents and businesses to log onto mygiwa.com and follow the link to the “CodeRED Community Notification Enrollment” page.

The data collected will not be used for anything other than emergency notification purposes.

Pringle said that the system is a great tool to notify members quickly of an emergency, but if you aren’t on the list, you won’t get a call. All GIWA utility users are asked to sign up.

Those without internet access may call GIWA at 964-2423, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., to supply their information over the phone. Required information includes first and last name, street address (physical address, no P.O. boxes), city, state, zip code, and primary phone number. Additional phone numbers and emails can be entered as well.

( 1 Vote )