La Plata County is urging residents to sign up for CodeRed, a public alert system that functions as a sort of reverse-911 during emergencies, ahead of next week’s wildfire evacuation drill.
The system allows a user to enter an address, such as their home, and a phone number to receive notifications. When an area or a neighborhood is impacted by an emergency – such as a wildfire evacuation or a dangerous suspect on the loose – the county sends notifications to registered users with addresses in that area.
Fewer than 50% of county residents are signed up for CodeRed, according to Director of Emergency Management Shawna Legarza.
“If you want information about what you need to do when there’s smoke in the air, you should sign up for CodeRed,” she said.
Residents can sign up for CodeRed at bit.ly/4cA63Fl.
Legarza also recommends that residents sign up for notifications tied to addresses beyond their home, including their workplace, their children’s school or the homes of elderly relatives.
The county is urging residents to sign up for CodeRed ahead of its annual wildfire evacuation drill, set to begin next week.
The exercise will kick off with a countywide test of the emergency notification system at 9:30 a.m. Monday.
On Tuesday, the public is invited to a community wildfire preparedness workshop at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Residents are encouraged to stop by between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for information on how to prepare homes and businesses for wildfire. A panel presentation will take place from 1 to 2:30 p.m. The first 50 attendees will receive a $10 lunch voucher.
The Office of Emergency Management and area partners will practice responses to simulated wildfires near Edgemont Meadow, the Rockwood neighborhood and Trimble on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, respectively.
For more details on the exercise, visit readylaplata.org
rschafir@durangoherald.com
