Getting the word out — Scott City launches CodeRED

Scott City is taking advantage of technology to inform residents of emergencies, advisories and community information.

An alert system known as CodeRED was launched Wednesday in the northern Scott County town, home to 4,594 people.

Dustin Whitworth, Scott City administrator

"Up to this week, when we sent out a boil-water notice, for instance, we contacted the news media and put information on Facebook," said Dustin Whitworth, city administrator.

"From there, we hoped everybody got to see the message in one form or another. It intrigued me how the (Scott City) schools sent out school closing information through text messaging and it seems to get to everybody who signed up," he added.

Whitworth said Scott City is a "train town" and is susceptible to train car leakage and other incidents from time to time.

"Our 911 director and I got together and brainstormed how we could get information out better to residents about weather problems, emergencies, a wreck on Main Street during school pickup or drop off times. We did research and found CodeRED," he said.

"It's a way of getting information out through a means everybody looks at in today's texting world (and) if you don't text, CodeRED will contact folks by phone or by email. Three different ways of getting the word out," added Whitworth, who has led Scott City's staff since March.

Whitworth is a 1990 Scott City High School alumnus who has worked continuously for the municipality since 2016.

Signing up

• Via laptop/desktop: www.public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/BF30B207C410.
• Via mobile device: Text SCOTTCITYALERT to 99411 to receive a direct link to the enrollment form.

"It's real simple to get enrolled by texting, but if you don't sign up, the alerts won't work for you," Whitworth said. "You can come to City Hall or to the police department and we can get you enrolled that way, too."

Specificity

Whitworth said CodeRED can be programmed to target residents who need certain information.

"Let's say your boil-water notice only impacts six blocks of the city, we can set up the system so CodeRED will only contact those blocks and those people who've signed up. It's that precise," he said.

Cost

CodeRED is free to residents but initial setup cost to the municipality is $3,000, Whitworth said.

"We do have a grant that will pay for half of that for the next year (and) there is a business in town who've told us it might pay for the whole thing depending on what next year's company budget looks like," he added.

A two-page informational letter was sent via U.S. mail to every resident who gets city water, said Whitworth, who noted the same missive is on the city's website: www.scottcitymo.org.

The City of Jackson implemented a similar system, Rave Alerts, earlier this year.