Friday, April 10, 2009

TOP STORY >> City asks residents to join storm alert

By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer

The Thursday night storm in Cabot was the first test of CodeRED, the free emergency-notification system that will alert residents of approaching storms. It worked, but only for the 1,000 or so residents who have registered. About 9,000 did not get the potentially life-saving call from the National Weather Service.

CodeRED is open to everyone inside Cabot city limits. But so far only about one-tenth of the residents have called or logged onto the city’s Web site to register.

Mayor Eddie Joe Williams said this week that until residents sign up for the weather alerts, the city will call all 10,000 customers in the data base at Cabot WaterWorks every time the tornado alarm sounds. But CodeRED is more effective because the calls are specific to the area where a storm is expected to hit.

To register, call city hall at 501 843-3566 or go to the city’s Web site at www.cabotar.gov.