White County encourages residents to register for CodeRED Warning System
Press Release February 15, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — White County residents are reminded of the vitality of enrolling in the CodeRED emergency notification system. This system allows the county to alert citizens of emergencies such as, evacuations, severe weather, missing persons and more.
During a recent emergency event, CodeRed was utilized to send notifications to citizens in the area, making hundreds of calls in a matter of minutes. It is imperative that users maintain accurate records in the system. If you change your number or move, you should update your information in CodeRed, to be able to still receive this vital information.
In the event of an emergency, social media is not always updated as timely. CodeRED is the primary way citizens will be notified. The messages will be delivered by phone call, text message or email through the CodeRed system.
To receive Emergency notifications, residents and businesses must first visit White Counties Emergency Notification enrollment page at https://www.whitecountyga.gov/public-safety.
Individuals are encouraged to enter both a cell phone number and email address as well as to select the types of weather warnings they wish to receive. There is also a free download app on the Google Play Store and the App Store.
“The app works similarly to our current CodeRed system.” Said David Murphy, Public Safety Director “If you have the app downloaded and are in an affected area of the alert, a notification will be sent through the app to alert you of the issues.”
CodeRed is just one tool to better prepare yourself and your family for an emergency event.
Last week was National Severe Weather Preparedness week. It stresses the importance of having a plan and being prepared for emergencies. In the event there is a wildfire, like what we have seen this week, and you are forced to evacuate, you would only have minutes to gather what you can and get out of the area.
Visit www.Ready.gov or https://www.whitecountyga.gov/public-safety to learn more about emergency preparedness, having a plan and making an emergency kit.
For more information and assistance, you may call White County Public Safety at 706-865-9500.
Mitigation Plan will better prepare for natural disasters
Business September 21, 2021
News Release
CLEVELAND, Ga- White County is better prepared for disasters with the recent approval of their local hazard mitigation plan, which is a long-term strategy to reduce the community’s vulnerability to natural disasters. White County along with the City of Cleveland and City of Helen recently adopted the plan update.
The plan identifies hazards and potential hazards in White County, and it creates a framework to help community officials make decisions that may ultimately protect lives and property.
The plan also outlines a strategy for implementing mitigation projects in our communities. Through projects such as outdoor warning sirens, and wildfire management, White County is taking proactive steps to lessen the impact of future disasters and the costly expenses associated with them.
History shows that the physical, financial, and emotional losses caused by disasters can be reduced significantly through hazard mitigation planning. The planning process encourages communities to integrate mitigation with day-to-day decision-making regarding land-use planning, floodplain management, site design and other activities.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reviews and approves state, tribal and local hazard mitigation plans, which are required as a condition for states and communities to receive certain types of disaster assistance, including funding for mitigation projects. State mitigation plans must be approved every five years, and local and tribal mitigation plans must be approved at least once every five years.