Spooked by all the fires and floods? Sign up for emergency alerts

Everyone knows to call 911 to report an emergency.

But few ask how emergency managers will notify them when fire, flood, power outages and even violent crime is occurring in their neighborhoods.

Alerts are just a text, email or phone call away, but Mid-Columbia residents have been slow to sign up for CodeRED, a new smartphone-friendly alert system embraced by the emergency service arms of Benton and Franklin counties.

The agencies, which plan for disasters and coordinate command centers, signed up for the CodeRED system last year after Energy Northwest upgraded the sirens around its Columbia Generating Station.

With hurricanes and fires dominating headlines, Deanna and Sean Davis, the husband-and-wife team that lead the two emergency services agencies, see an opportunity to get more residents to register their numbers and addresses. The service is free, and private information is not shared or sold.

CodeRED augments the existing network of alerts, but the Davises say it goes far beyond the old capabilities. It lets them send targeted messages to let residents know about threats in their area and what steps they should take to protect themselves and their property. Users opt to receive messages by text, email or phone.

“That’s the best way we have to reach people,” said Deanna Davis, who leads Benton County Emergency Services. Sean Davis helms Franklin County Emergency Services.

The Davises say that the time is ripe to remind residents of the value of registering.

Hurricanes don’t menace the Mid-Columbia, but flooding is a major threat, as area residents learned last winter when rapidly thawing snow flooded swaths of both counties. The ill-timed disaster put farm roads out of commission just as farmers were preparing for the 2017 season.

And fire is always a loose spark away, as the Tri-Cities were reminded of Friday morning when they woke to news Candy Mountain had burned overnight. The fast-moving grass fire prompted the evacuation of as many as 50 homes in West Richland.

CodeRED isn’t just for natural emergencies, though.

Police engaged in a standoff in West Richland in July, with a man reportedly carrying a shotgun and making threats. With CodeRED, managers could alert immediate neighbors to the danger, and advise them to stay inside and away from open doors and windows.

More recently, it sent messages to neighbors when a gas leak was reported in Pasco on a weekday afternoon, just as school children were being released for school. CodeRED messages caught parents who may not otherwise have been able to field traditional alerts.

While it can take an emergency to inspire people to register for alerts, the Davises say signing up is a good step to take before a crisis.

Deanna Davis said she’s already built alert lists for the Yakima River and horse owners, a pre-emptive move that gives people extra minutes to respond.

Messages are sent in English. Both Benton and Franklin are working to ensure Spanish language alerts are dispatched as quickly as possible. Some are pre-written, but others depend on if there is translator available.

Benton County residents can sign up for CodeRED by visiting bces.wa.gov and clicking on the icon and following the instructions. Franklin County residents can start at franklinem.org.

For information, call 509-628-2600 in Benton County and 509-545-3546 in Franklin.

This story was originally published September 10, 2017 at 12:20 PM with the headline "Spooked by all the fires and floods? Sign up for emergency alerts."