Hundreds of new La Grange phone numbers added in successful CodeRED test

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Updated: March 17, 2012 8:13AM

A test run of the villagewide emergency calling system in La Grange successfully reached thousands of registered households and businesses Feb. 6, and it prompted hundreds more numbers to be added.

Police Chief Michael Holub said notifying residents before the test prompted about 700 additional phone numbers to be entered into the system. Once duplicates were eliminated, about 500 new numbers were added.

“We did identify a lot of dead lines,” Holub said. “It cleaned up the data base for non-functioning numbers, which were taking up system resources.”

Holub said the village doesn’t see or control the data base, which is administered by CodeRED Emergency Notification System, based in Ormond Beach, Fla.

In all, 7,939 calls were completed to test the system, the chief said. The data base includes two phone devices for hearing impaired residents.

Even after the test call, 116 new numbers were registered the next day, and entries are continuing, he said.

In addition to placing all those calls in about a half hour, the system is capable of targeting specific locations. Calls can be placed to homes or businesses registered within a certain distance of an occurrence, or by highlighting a portion of a map on a computer screen, Holub said.

“One of the nice features of CodeRED is that if the fire chief and I are out in the field and saw a hazard of extreme risk, we could make a call from the field,” he said. “Normally, it’s done from the dispatch center, where we record a message and program who is called.”

Holub said he reserves CodeRED calls for such serious emergencies as a hostage situation, armed gunman at large or a hazardous materials spill.

“We’re very concerned about not overusing the system. It has to be a pretty significant level to be a CodeRED,” he said.

Other avenues to notify residents of such events as a water leak or leaf pick-up include the village’s e-mail notification system, a listing on the village’s website at www.villageoflagrange.com, or the Police Department’s Facebook page.

Residents who haven’t done so may register their home, cell or business phones by following the CodeRED link on the village’s website or by calling (708) 579-2258, Ext. 2256 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. E-mail and text addresses also may be entered.