Chouteau County has replaced its Code Red emergency notification system with Regroup, a new public alert platform.
"It took a lot of investigation into different vendors. We finally landed on this one. We're happy with it so far. We're really excited to get the public to start signing up so that we can use this system to the capabilities that we're looking for," said Alix Reid, Chouteau County director of emergency services.
Reid said the Code Red system was compromised outside of the county, shutting down the whole system.
"It kind of put us in a situation where we needed to get a system and unfortunately, that data that was in that system was gone as well. Now we're trying to get our public to really fly in and sign up for this system," Reid said.
The new Regroup system offers several ways for residents to receive emergency alerts. People can choose to be notified through email, text messages, phone calls, or through a mobile app.
"It will alert the public in the case of very extreme weather. If we need to use the system because one of our water systems has been affected and it'll affect the public, we can use it for that," Reid said.
Chouteau County Sheriff Justin Smith emphasized the importance of quick communication during emergencies.
"You're going to save an amazing amount of time getting that information out via this notification system rather than going around and knocking on doors or any other thing like that," Smith said.
County officials are encouraging all residents to sign up for the new alert system to ensure they receive critical emergency information.
To sign up, click here to visit the website.
