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Apex adds tornado alert system
May 17, 2011 (The Cary News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- The tornadoes that hit North Carolina last month have spurred the town of Apex into action.

The town plans to implement a weather warning alert phone system soon that will warn residents if the town is threatened by a tornado.

The deadly tornadoes that ripped across the state April 16 skirted Apex and struck neighboring Holly Springs, but left downed trees and power lines across the region.

"The tornado was a wake up call," said Mayor Keith Weatherly. "We were fortunate but we could have had some serious damage. We need to be able to have some reassurance for our citizens and safeguard them as much as we can." Other area municipalities have versions of community alerts, some geared towards emergencies but not all specifically designed as a weather alert system.


Cary contracts with a company to send out email alerts, including ones about inclement weather, to residents who request them through the town's website.

Morrisville issues emergency alerts, including weather-related events, via cellphone text message and email for those that sign up online.

Holly Springs uses a reverse 911 phone system to call residents in case of an emergency.

Fuquay-Varina does not have a community alert system.

The town of Apex currently contracts with CodeRED, a private emergency alert system, to notify the community of important news, a service that costs $15,000 a year.

The addition of CodeRED Weather Warning will be pro-rated from May 15 to Sept. 26 for an additional $1,445, said Fire Chief Mark Haraway.

The additional weather alert will increase the cost of the contract by $3,937 for the first year and $7,875 for years two and three, Haraway said.

The Apex Town Council approved the extra spending at a meeting earlier this month.

CodeRED Weather Warning will pick up National Weather Service bulletins as they are issued.

The company sorts through the warnings, determines severity and zeros in on the areas of potential impact. The service then goes through the database and notifies the subscribers in the projected path of the storm or other severe weather.

Residents can decide if they want to participate in the service. To sign up, they will need to visit the town's website and check the boxes for the alerts they want to receive.

"This is all done through the CodeRED network thus protecting our citizens' privacy while at the same time providing them with options as to the types of notices they receive. Under the new weather warning service, citizens may opt in for all weather warnings, thunderstorm, flood warnings or tornado warnings," Haraway said.

Those residents who are already in the existing database will get a call informing them of the new service and how to "opt in" for the weather warning notices. CodeRED will also be sending out written notice to residents.

"The way I look at this is, this has the potential for saving lives," said Councilman Gene Schulze. "It's a small price to pay." Staff writer Andrew Kenney contributed to this report.

aliana.ramos@nando.com or 919-460-2609 To see more of the Cary News or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.carynews.com/. Copyright (c) 2011, The Cary News, N.C. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit https://www.mctinfoservices.com.

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