New A C Alert System Could Replace Code Red in 2016
Piedmonters will be encouraged to sign up for A C Alert beginning in September 2015.
While the rest of the current contract with Code Red, Piedmont’s emergency notification system, runs through April 2016, the City will have free use of A C Alert through May 2016. Lisa Douglas, Police Department Support Services Manager, recommends a six month trial to compare the two systems side by side. The current cost of the Code Red program is $5,000 per year. It is anticipated that when Piedmont is asked to pay for A C Alert in future years, the cost will be considerably less than Code Red, since the platform will be in use across a number of communities.
The Alameda County Grand Jury Final Report 2012 – 2013 mandated the County to obtain a mass emergency notification system. A C Alert is the result of this mandate.
At present, cities in Alameda County use a variety of different mass notification systems, which do not interconnect. For example, Berkeley uses BENS, Berkeley Emergency Notification System.
Read the Alameda County Grand Jury Final Report 2012 – 2013.
