Dec. 21, 2009

County now offering free severe weather alerts

By Roy Mitchell

CENTRE — A tornado's funnel sways hypnotically in the background, much like a cobra gyrating to the rhythm of its charmer. An apron-clad, wind-blown Aunty Em frantically summons Dorothy.

Uncle Henry, the farmhands, and Em disappear into the shelter, wondering, perhaps doubting, if they will ever see Dorothy again.

Fortunately, we're not in Kansas anymore.

If Dorothy were in present-day Cherokee County, she would be safe -- not from the magic of her ruby slippers, but because of a new emergency alert service established by the Cherokee County Commission.

The county government recently signed a contract with Emergency Communications Network, Inc., which provides all residents access to Code Red. The service, which costs $10,000 annually, automatically delivers severe weather warnings from the National Weather Service within seconds after they are issued.
These alerts can be received, free of charge, either on a business, home, or cell phone, by text message, or via e-mail. However, residents must sign up to receive the Code Red alerts. Registration forms are available at the Cherokee County Commission office in the administration building and at businesses around town, including The Post.

“This is a wonderful service that will allow us to provide weather alerts to the entire county for less than the cost to put up one emergency siren,” said Cherokee County EMA Director Beverly Daniel. “If people do not have access to a computer they can fill out the form, bring it to us and we will enter the information for them.”

Implications of these alerts are obvious. With Code Red, the county can quickly notify the masses of any impending storms anywhere over the rainbow. Aging parents can feel as secure as Dorothy, arousing from her dream, knowing that they will receive a phone call in advance of any impending storms. Families in their homes, upon notification, can take immediate measures to protect their family (and their little dog, Toto, too).

Weather service reports of tornado and thunderstorm warnings typically identify the county under alert, but specific communities in the path of the storm are sometimes not identified by media outlets. A press release by the Cherokee County EMA explains that the Code Red service will be more specific. The release says that use of the “polygon warning method,” designed by the National Weather Service, allows alerts specifically targeted to areas in the projected path of severe weather.

Furthermore, weather watches will not be sent, only warnings.
Cherokee County residents who sign up for Code Red will have a choice of warnings to choose from, including severe thunderstorm warnings, flash flood warnings, tornado warnings, or any combination of the three.

The EMA press release promises that all contact information will remain “private, safe, and secure and will only be used for severe weather warnings. Phone users with caller identification systems will know that the call is a Code Red weather alert when they see the number. A return call to the number will replay any missed messages.

Hint: Don't wait for severe weather to threaten before seeking the service. Turnaround time is typically one to two weeks, according to the registration page on the online application form.

County residents with a valid Cherokee County address may complete a registration form to receive Code Red alerts and return it to the EMA office in the Cherokee County Administration Center. Online sign up is available at www.cherokeecounty-al.gov.

To find out more, call the Cherokee County EMA office at 256-927-3367.