The County of Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz Regional 9-1-1 announce the launch of CruzAware, a new community alert and warning system designed to keep residents informed and safe.
According to the county, CruzAware represents a significant upgrade over the previous system, CodeRED, and introduces features to improve communication during emergency and non-emergency situations.
CruzAware is a messaging platform for residents in unincorporated areas that goes beyond emergency alerts — giving people the option to receive non-emergency notifications regarding roadwork and disruptions in their neighborhood that can impact their daily life.
Each user can select their preferred language and communication channels, including phone calls, text messages and/or email.
CruzAware also includes a free mobile app, available across all platforms.
“We are excited to introduce CruzAware as the next generation of our community alert and warning system,” said David Reid, director of the Santa Cruz County Office of Resopnse, Recovery & Resilience.
“Signing up for emergency notifications through CruzAware is crucial for every resident,” said Stephanie French, operations manager for Santa Cruz Regional 9-1-1. “During emergencies, seconds matter, and being promptly informed can make all the difference in ensuring personal safety and the well-being of our community.”
All existing CodeRED users will be automatically enrolled in CruzAware.
Residents are asked to update their contact information and preferences by visiting CruzAware.org.
That way, they can get timely and accurate notice tailored to their specific needs.
Key benefits of CruzAware:
- Comprehensive emergency alerts: Receive critical information during natural disasters, severe weather events, public safety concerns, and other emergencies.
- Non-emergency messaging: Stay informed about roadwork, community-level impacts, public meetings, and other updates affecting your area.
- Customizable communication channels: Choose to receive alerts via text messages, phone calls, email, or the CruzAware mobile app.
- More precise: Advanced geolocation technology that delivers alerts based on your specific location, minimizing unnecessary disruptions.
- Multilingual support: Access alerts and messages in multiple languages.
To learn more and sign up for emergency notifications, visit CruzAware.org.
Local city messaging platforms such as Nixle are not impacted by the switch, though city residents are encouraged to sign up for CruzAware.
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Q&A on CruzAware
The Aptos Times asked Santa Cruz County public information officer Jason Hoppin about the new alert system, CruzAware. Here are his answers.
Is CodeRED being discontinued?
Yes, CodeRED will be discontinued in our county after a brief transition.
Why?
After the winter storms, the County Board of Supervisors directed that county staff explore a new alert and warning system in order to send emergency messaging more often and under County control.
They were also interested in increasing nonemergency messaging such as roadwork through various channels such as text messaging and email.
Who developed CruzAware?
It is a Genasys product. CruzAware is our locally branded platform.
We should have a mobile app up within a month.
What did this cost?
About $16,000, split with Netcom.
Costs go down if additional jurisdictions adopt it.
What’s the key difference between CruzAware & CodeRED?
The functionality goes far beyond CodeRED including allowing users to select specific event types they would like to receive information about (severe weather, red flag warnings, etc), including nonemergency messaging.
It also has greater flexibility on the back end so that we can send alerts more quickly.
How many households in the county signed up for CodeRED?
CodeRED was managed by Netcom, but I think the subscriber base was around 60,000 (will double-check).
They’re all been enrolled in CodeRED. No one who has previously enrolled is losing access to emergency messaging.
They can log in using their old credentials and increase functionality, however.
What percent of households is that?
I don’t know. There are about 100,000 residences in the County but I don’t know how many of the 60,000 base live under the same roof.
Should residents of the 4 cities sign up for CruzAware?
Yes, if they haven’t already enrolled in CodeRED.
Like CodeRED, CruzAware is how Netcom will reach people through reverse-911 style messages in case they do not have landlines (reverse 911 calls do not go to cell phones unless residents give us that information).