THOMASVILLE — Grady County residents are encouraged to hook up to a new warning service.

The county contracted with Emergency Communications Network, Inc., of Ormond Beach, Fla., earlier this year for its “CodeRED,” a high-speed telephone emergency notification service.

The system gives emergency officials the ability to deliver pre-recorded emergency telephone notification/information messages at a rate of up to 60,000 calls per hour.

Jim Ellis, Grady County Emergency Management Agency director, said such systems are only as good as its telephone data base.

“If your phone number is not in the database, you will not be called,” he said.

It is for this reason he is encouraging residents to make sure contact numbers are provided in case of an emergency that would activate CodeRED.

“No one should automatically assume his or her phone number is included,” said Ellis in a news press release. “All businesses should register and individuals who have unlisted phone numbers, who have changed their phone number or address within the last year, and who use a cellular phone as their primary home phone should register, too.”

CodeRED gives individuals and businesses the ability to add their own phone numbers directly to its telephone database.

Individuals and businesses can log onto the county’s Web site (www.gradycountyga.gov) or City of Cairo (www.cairoga.com) and follow the link to the “CodeRED Residential and Business Data Collection,” or visit https://login.coderedweb.com/codereddataentry/index.cfm?GroupId=1410 for the Grady County page.

Those without Internet access may call Grady County EMA at 378-2271 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) to give their information over the phone.

Required information includes first and last name, street address (physical address, no P.O. boxes), city, state, zip code and primary phone number. Additional numbers are optional.

“CodeRED system is a geographical based notification system, which means street addresses are needed to select which phone numbers will receive emergency notification calls in any given situation,” explained Ellis. “The system works fine for cell phones, too, but we have to have a street address.”

Ellis said CodeRED is an easy and secure method.

“The information will only be used for emergency notification purposes,” he said. “Due to the nature of emergencies, this is just another tool to alert people in a timely manner.”