12/01/05
CodeRED Helps City Communicate

Kettering, OH -- Emergency situations require immediate communication. The City of Kettering will soon have a new tool for communicating with residents one on one in the event of an emergency, or whenever there is important information that needs to get out quickly and efficiently.

CodeRED is a product that Kettering, as well as many other local communities, will utilize to call residents directly via the telephone in order to communicate useful messages. CodeRED utilizes two modern technologies – Geographic Information Systems (computerized maps) and high speed telephone dialers. City officials will be able to designate an area on the map and the CodeRED system will dial the phone numbers within that geographical area at a rate of up to 60,000 calls an hour. The person receiving the call will get a voice message with the necessary information.

“It’s important for residents to know that if they’re receiving a message via CodeRED, it’s an important message and they shouldn’t hang up,” says City Manager Steve Husemann. “We will not unnecessarily call our residents.”

This technology will be helpful, not only in the case of emergencies, but when the City, or portions of the City are undergoing major changes.

“This technology would have been great when we switched to a single hauler trash system,” says Husemann. “We could have used this to notify residents directly of new pick up days. Those are the kinds of things for which this will be really useful.”

CodeRED will go into effect in the Spring. If you have an unlisted phone number, or you only have a cell phone – please contact the City Manager’s office at 296-2412 to submit your information.