The City of Vicksburg is encouraging residents to re-register with the city’s CodeRED emergency notification system, as users can now customize the types of telephone calls they receive from the Florida-based contract service provider.

The city began using the emergency notification system in December 2008, and more than 1,000 residents and businesses have signed up.

While residents initially either received all warning calls or none at all, they now can choose to get specific calls about severe weather, tornado warnings or flash flood warnings. 

“We’ve had a couple of people annoyed with all the flash flood warnings, but now they can go back and opt out of those warnings and still receive other notifications,” said Anna Booth, city emergency management director.

Vicksburg residents can register for CodeRED phone calls via the city’s website at www.vicksburg.org, or by calling the city action line at 601-801-3411. The service is free.

The city paid $15,000 in December 2008 to initiate the system and another $15,000 in January to renew for another year.

The Warren County Board of Supervisors considered signing onto the system last year, but county Emergency Management Director Gwen Coleman said it doesn’t appear the service will be extended into the county anytime soon.

“Right now, I don’t have any money, and to my knowledge the county is not looking into acquiring CodeRED,” she said.

Booth said residents who sign up for the CodeRED notifications will not get calls if their phones are set to block calls from all 1-800 numbers. She said 1-800-566-9780 and 1-866-419-5000 must be omitted from a block in order to receive emergency calls.

All residents listed in the phone book are included on a separate warning call system for city emergencies, said Booth. However, that system only calls residents in case of an evacuation, missing person or imminent safety threat.

Booth said only one call has been made with the city emergency system — in September when a man with a gun was threatening to kill himself outside the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library. The police were able to get the man to give up the gun and surrender without incident.

Booth said she’s been happy with the CodeRED system over the first year of its use in the city, and said its been a good investment.

“I have been very pleased with it, and the feedback that I’ve been getting has been very good,” she said.

Contact Steve Sanoski at ssanoski@vicksburgpost.com