Featured Story

Chief pushes registration for emergency notifications

CREDIT Police Chief Jim Read, who is the emergency management coordinator for the town, at Tuesday’s Town Board work session urging all residents to register with an emergency notification system.
CREDIT
Police Chief Jim Read, who is the emergency management coordinator for the town, at Tuesday’s Town Board work session urging all residents to register with an emergency notification system.

Police Chief Jim Read went before the Town Board Tuesday to kick off a public information campaign urging residents to sign up for an emergency notification system.

In the event of a potentially dangerous storm, for example, early communication of critical information is essential for public safety, said Chief Read, who is also the emergency management coordinator for the Island.

The town is equipped to get information out rapidly to all residents through a system called “CodeRed,” but they must register to get important updates for cellphone voice and text messages and email.

CodeRed is a web-based emergency notification service run by a Florida-based company, Emergency Communications Network. The service contacts residents with important information and directions through multiple platforms, including voicemail, texts, email, social media and a mobile alert app. The service costs $2,000 annually and was in the town budget for this year.

CodeRed can be used for any emergency management situation, including potentially dangerous weather, chemical spills, terrorist threats, drinking water contamination, power outages and police work, such as a missing child or hostage situations.

Chief Read said the system is already operational, with a database of landline telephone numbers of the Island based on taxed properties. There will be test calls later this month, the chief said.

“But success is based on [numbers] of people who join” the system, the chief said. The system will take multiple phone numbers and email addresses.This is done by going to the CodeREd website or on the police department’s or the town’s websites and clicking on the CodeRed link and registering information for any devices.

The CodeREd link will also be up on the town’s website soon.

Information will also be provided at Town Hall and at Police Department headquarters.

CodeRed is important for second homeowners, the chief said, who could receive important information when they’re away from the Island. He gave an example of a homeowner coming to the Island and getting information on the way that the ferries aren’t running.

The system can also target different populations, such as a list that the police department keeps of “frail and elderly” residents. Other examples, Chief Read said, are residents of Ram Island, who could be notified of a causeway washout, or West Neck water customers could be given important alerts about the water supply and conditions.

CodeRed allows people to choose what alerts they would like to receive.

There was a discussion of producing a video of Chief Read and Supervisor Jim Dougherty explaining the importance of registering and how to go about it to be aired on channel 22.

To register with CodeRed, go either to the company’s website, or to the Shelter Island Police Department’s site at shelterislandpolice.us or the town’s website at shelterislandtown.us and click on the CodeRed links.