As more and more people use cellphones rather than landlines, Waukegan needs a way to let residents know if there is a situation needing their attention, from a waterline break impacting a small neighborhood to a storm threatening the entire city.
David Motley, the city’s communications director, said most of the phone numbers in the now-sidelined system were landlines. With more people dropping that form of communication for cellphones, something had to be done.
“It’s not an efficient way to do things anymore,” Motley said. “We needed a fresh solution to keep up with the evolving needs of communication.”
The city of Waukegan pushed the start button on its new Onsolve CodeRED emergency notification system Tuesday at the police department’s communications center in an effort to use the latest technology to communicate with residents quickly when needed.
Operated by the city’s first responders, both Waukegan Police Chief Edgar Navarro and Fire Chief Gregg Paiser are happy with the new system and its features. They both see a safer city.
“Our new reverse 911 system can deliver emergency notifications to a targeted area anywhere in the city of Waukegan,” Navarro said in an email. “We can send out mass notifications with real time information during critical incidents within minutes.”
“Critical information such as sheltering in place or evacuating will be delivered to residents to help keep them safe and informed,” Paiser added in an email.
Sometimes, Motley said, the message will be sent to a targeted area where specific attention is required, while other situations may impact everyone. The technology of the new system allows for pinpoint messaging when needed.
“It can be used for a water boil order, when there is a water main break in a certain area and there isn’t enough water pressure,” Motley said. “There could also be a large-scale development like a weather emergency.”
Jane Ferry, the city’s public relations specialist, said residents can receive their message through a recorded call, an email or a text. There are approximately 9,000 phone numbers in the database and it needs to grow.
One way the city gets new phone data is when Waukegan-based cellular phone companies issue new numbers to customers. Ferry said the city gets the information for its database. If the person moves out of the city, that needs to be communicated.
Residents can register for the new system on the city’s website. There is currently an icon on the homepage. Residents can receive their message in Spanish or English, according to the website instructions. It works with cellular or landline technology.
“It takes you through all the steps of the registration process,” Ferry said.
