County Funding CodeRed

Mass Alert System Gets Praise From Quorum Court Members

— News of Superstorm Sandy’s devastation and destruction to the lives of millions of people along the East Coast and other recent, nearby extreme weather events made the 2013 budget approval for emergency services an easy sell to the Washington County Quorum Court’s Budget Committee of the Whole.

The committee last week reviewed almost 20 budgets administered by County Judge Marilyn Edwards, including her civil defense budget that partially funds the county’s Department of Emergency Management. Spending proposals for the emergency department remained flat for the most part. The committee tentatively approved the budget until later this year.

By The Numbers

County’s Civil Defense Budget

Category Current 2012 Proposed 2013

Personnel $129,920 $130,584

Supplies $64,445 $76,145

Other Services & Charges $95,050 $94,370

Capital Outlay $1,320 $0

Total $290,736 $301,099

Source: Washington County

“We watched Superstorm Sandy, and I think what we heard is most people did not heed the warnings,” said John Luther, department director. “I think that should be a big lesson to all of us.”

CodeRed, a company that provides mass alerts, including warnings of incoming severe weather, got praise by Quorum Court members and received a quick nod by the committee for the department to continue that service. The mass alerts come through automated phone messages when a targeted area is identified for severe weather, such as tornadoes and floods.

“After these last rash of storms that went through, Benton County had a small tornado go through,” Luther said. “We got a lot of good feedback. Some folks said they didn’t get a call. I said ‘perfect.’ The system was working because if you weren’t in the area that was affected, the system didn’t bother you.”

After a December 2010 tornado struck the western areas of the county, including the Cincinnati Community, and killed four people, Edwards made an effort to set up the service. The service began in April.

Luther, under Edwards’ direction, presented a spending proposal Thursday that remained virtually the same from last year. His 2013 budget proposal increased by a little more than $10,000 to $301,099 from the this year. The $10,000 increase is the dollar amount needed to split the annual CodeRed contract with the Sheriff’s Office, Luther said.

This year’s first contract was split between Sheriff Tim Helder’s budget and Edward’s office budget. Luther said it made more sense to pay for the service out of the emergency department’s budget. So Edwards’ budget decreased by about $10,000 and Luther’s increased about the same.

“We’ve always relied on our weather alert radio, but the last storm system we were alerted by the phones, but the radio didn’t make a peep,” said Justice of the Peace Butch Pond.

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