With severe weather season here Washington County officials want residents to be notified if they’re in the path of the storm with the county's emergency alert system.
CodeRED is a warning system that notifies Washington County residents if severe weather is approaching.
If so, you'll be notified you by phone call, text or email.
“If you can get notified to seek shelter, get in the safe room, get out of your mobile home, if you live in one, you're just much better prepared to withstand that,” said Rick Johnson, Washington County Department of Emergency Management Deputy Director.
You can sign up for the free codeRED on the Washington County website.
It covers Elkins, Elm Springs, Goshen, Greenland, Tontitown, West Fork and Winslow.
The push get the alert going came after the deadly tornado that hit Cincinnati New Year’s Eve 2010.
“After the tornado we had in Cincinnati that really put us to the point to where we had to get something for our citizens,” said Johnson.
Benton County uses BC Alert and the city of Fayetteville also uses a different system.
With the system that Springdale is using, if there’s an emergency, like a tornado warning the city's message is displayed on electronic billboards throughout the city.
“If you’re out on the road and people even traveling through on I-540, if there’s a tornado warning in the area then they can maybe see it on a billboard,” added Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse.
Following the ice storm in 2009 Springdale has used Cooper Notifications.
Since Springdale doesn’t have tornado sirens, they rely on their free alert system.
“Used to you would just have tornado sirens and I’m not knocking tornado sirens especially since Springdale didn't have any, but if you’re going to put your money into a technology this is definitely the way to go and it's much more effective,” said Sprouse
you can sign up for free on the city of Springdale's website.