Released by the East Texas Council of Governments
KILGORE/GREGG COUNTY (KYTX) - This month, the ETCOG Executive Committee approved a fourth year of funding CodeRED, a reverse emergency notification system, for the East Texas region as a part of its public safety program.
The CodeRED system, funded by a Homeland Security grant, is a telephone communication service that allows the county/city Emergency Management Coordinator to quickly notify citizens about emergency situations such as:
- Tornados and storm events
- Drinking water contamination
- Utility outage
- Evacuation notice and route
- Missing person
- Fires or floods
- Bomb threat
- Hostage situation
- Chemical spill or gas leak
- Other emergency incidents where rapid and accurate notification is essential
The CodeRED system has been contracted through Emergency Communications Network since 2009 for all of the counties served by ETCOG, with the exception of Henderson County, due to their 9-1-1 district already providing a reverse notification system. A total of four years of billing with a sum of $710,060 has been granted by ETCOG to date to provide East Texas with CodeRED including the 2012 - 2013 contract approved for $140,303.
All citizens and business are encouraged to register their cell phone numbers by logging onto their county websites or contacting their county Emergency Management Coordinator. For more information, contact ETCOG's Director of Public Safety, Stephanie Heffner, at 903.984.8641 ext. 251.
A breakdown of this year's contract for the East Texas region is as follows:
|
AGENCY
|
COST PER YEAR
|
ANNUAL MINUTES
|
|
Anderson County
|
$6,700
|
22,500
|
|
City of Palestine
|
$5,360
|
15,000
|
|
Camp County
|
$4,020
|
9,375
|
|
Cherokee County
|
$6,700
|
22,500
|
|
City of Jacksonville
|
$4,020
|
9,375
|
|
Gregg County
|
$6,700
|
22,500
|
|
City of Longview
|
$13,400
|
50,000
|
|
Harrison County
|
$6,700
|
22,500
|
|
City of Marshall
|
$5,360
|
15,000
|
|
City of Athens
|
$4,020
|
9,375
|
|
Marion County
|
$4,020
|
9,375
|
|
Panola County
|
$5,360
|
15,000
|
|
Rains County
|
$4,020
|
9,375
|
|
Rusk County
|
$8,040
|
25,000
|
|
Smith County
|
$13,400
|
50,000
|
|
City of Tyler
|
$16,750
|
62,500
|
|
Upshur County
|
$8,040
|
25,000
|
|
Van Zandt County
|
$5,360
|
15,000
|
|
City of Canton
|
$4,020
|
9,375
|
|
Wood County
|
$8,040
|
25,000
|
|
TOTAL
|
$140,030
|
