CodeRED Partners with the State of South Carolina on Statewide Tornado Drill

March 2, 2016 - PRLog -- Spartanburg County Office of Emergency Management will be partnering with Emergency Communications Network (ECN), North America’s largest provider of critical and mass notification systems, in conducting their 2016 statewide tornado drill on March 9, 2016.

In an effort to increase the county’s emergency preparedness and be proactive in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) PrepareAthon project, the Spartanburg County Office of Emergency Management began an annual statewide tornado drill last year. The state received a waiver from the Federal Communications Commission to use the tornado warning product from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) tone-alert weather radio throughoutthe drill. The county’s emergency management office then used one of ECN’s critical communication solutions, CodeRED, to disseminate important information regarding the tornado drill to Spartanburg County residents.

“With the assistance of CodeRed, the Spartanburg County Office of Emergency Management can disseminate pertinent preparedness information to our public, therefore increasing their likelihood to participate in the actual tornado drill on March 9,” said Doug Bryson, Spartanburg County Emergency Management Coordinator.  “Last year, our department experienced an unprecedented participation rate and we hope to duplicate that success this year.  Through our partnership with CodeRed, we’ve been able to make citizens and businesses aware of not only tornado safety, but the importance of conducting emergency drills in their respective homes or businesses for the numerous threats we face.”

With South Carolina being prone to severe storms, tornados, and flash floods, residents need to take the proper safety precautions to stay safe and be informed of potential weather advisories. The county already invests in CodeRED Weather Warning, which notifies residents who have signed up for the service within the area of impact by phone, text, or email of inclement weather. CodeRED can also be used for emergency and general notifications to keep residents informed. This year, ECN will be providing their services again through CodeRED to help Spartanburg County conduct an “All Call” for the tornado drill.

ECN and Spartanburg County Office of Emergency Management also worked together last year to lead an emergency preparedness workshop at the National Hurricane Conference. The conference, which is to take place this year in Orlando, is a three-day event where attendees can exchange ideas and concepts to improve emergency management. This year, the two will be giving a presentation on mobile strategies for the public and the end-user.

To register for CodeRED in Spartanburg County, visit http://www.scoem.org/and click on the “Sign Up Now” link on the right, or click on the CodeRed banner found on the home page to begin receiving notifications.

About Spartanburg County Office of Emergency Management
Emergency Management is the combined effort of local, state and federal governments to protect the citizens from the effects of disasters, both natural and manmade. The local Office of Emergency Management works to identify and analyze the hazards that may face Spartanburg County and develop contingency plans for each hazard. The plans are regularly tested, refined and tested again, all with the goal of protecting or saving lives and property.

The Office of Emergency Management uses a four-phase approach to emergencies: Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery, which is known collectively as the Emergency Management Cycle.  Through this approach we have taken steps increase the readiness of our response agencies and our citizens.  With an active LEPC, robust CERT program and an emerging SCVOAD initiative, the Spartanburg County Office of Emergency Managements continues to strive to engage numerous stakeholders in the process.  By engaging stakeholders and creating partnerships, as we have with CodeRed, our department will strive for continuous improvement in the 4 phase approach to emergency management: Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery.

About Emergency Communications Network
Headquartered in Ormond Beach, FL, Emergency Communications Network (ECN) is North America’s largest provider of emergency notification systems and mass notification systems. ECN provides two major notification services: CodeRED, for state and local government entities to deliver emergency and general messages to residents in specific geographic areas; and SmartNotice for staff and customer notification as an essential tool for business continuity and disaster recovery. ECN’s technology solutions are used each day to effectively alert, inform and save lives. To learn more, visit ecnetwork.com.