2021 KAMM Community Mitigation Grant Recipients

2021 Mitigation Awards

Lee County CodeRED

After a series of severe weather, the most recent being record-breaking flooding in Beattyville, the county applied for a grant to purchase a mass notification system.  Lee County purchased the CodeRed MNS which is owned by Onsolve and based out of Florida.  The system is entirely internet-based, so we didn’t have to install any special or outdoor equipment for the system to operate.  Like many other notification systems, CodeRED can integrate with FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) to provide additional alert coverage if necessary.

CodeRED provides us with seamless access to IPAWS.  We have access to the test environment as well as the Live system. 

We underwent a crash course in the capabilities we have through the CodeRED System.  The first part of the system is alert messages.  This includes what we want to send out, and by which methods.

  • Phone calls have the option of sending messages with a text-to-speech voice, or by recording a message ourselves and uploading it to the alert.  We also have the option to send messages out in a second language (this requires someone who can speak the second language to record themselves speaking).
  • Text which requires a 90-character limit message and a 360-character limit message.  Like the phone calls, we can also send messages out in a second language.  With text we have the option to allow replies to the message in case we’re asking for information from recipients.
  • Telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) for residents who require a TDD device.
  • Email, which like text messages, we can choose to receive replies from.
  • The CodeRED Mobile Alert app.  For residents who have the app installed on a smartphone, they’ll receive alerts this way if they’re in a targeted area or within a certain distance of the targeted area (recipients can select their own alert radius in the app).
  • Social Media on Facebook and Twitter.  This allows us to send messages to any pages we have access to through Facebook and Twitter.
  • RSS feeds.
  • IPAWS.  The system does provide access to IPAWS alone if we need to use that system separate from the CodeRED system.
  • Scenarios are pre-built messages that are already set up with the message we want to send, where we want to send it, rather it be county-wide or a targeted area by drawing polygons anywhere on a map in our coverage area (example residences on one street or a small area such as a trailer park).
  • After we send out alerts, the system provides us with statistics such as the number of emails, phone calls, TDD calls, and texts.  We also receive a report of calls the system attempted to make, how many calls were answered, and how many were not answered.  system only reports the number of calls, emails, texts, and TDDs that were made.
  • The software breaks calls down even further and shows how many calls were answered by a person, went to voicemail/answering machine, or were unable to be completed.

 

 

Clinton County/Albany Flood Awareness Equipment

Problem: With just moderate amounts of rainfall, many roads within the county tend to flood to the point that it is dangerous.  Clinton County/City of Albany does not have the proper equipment to help warn the citizens of the dangers associated with roadway flooding. 

Solution: Acquire and strategically place equipment such as barricades and flood warning signs to assist in helping to warn the public of high waters and to divert traffic.

Project Locations in Albany:

  • W Cumberland Street
  • Pineview Dr
  • Cody Ln
  • Tennessee Short Cut Rd
  • Nicholas Ln
  • Sewell Mountain Rd
  • E Hill St
  • W Hill St
  • Foothills Ave

 

 

 

 

Mitigation Matters!  

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