CodeRED Emergency Notification

The Portsmouth Water and Fire District has contracted with the Emergency Communications Network to license its CodeRed notification system.  The CodeRED Emergency Notification System is an ultra high-speed telephone communication service designed to deliver emergency messages and distribute information considered to be important in all or specific areas of the Water District.

This system allows water system officials to telephone targeted areas of the District or the entire District within minutes.  It then delivers a pre-recorded message describing the situations to a live person or an answering machine in the affected area, and if necessary, including instructions requiring immediate action on the part of the recipient.

While a calling data base was created by extracting information from public record sources, it is certain that not all phone numbers of water customers within our District limits were captured.

If you reside or own property within the Portsmouth Water and Fire District and would like to receive CodeRED emergency messages you may sign up by clicking the link below.

IMPORTANT:  USE YOUR PHYSICAL ADDRESS.  DO NOT USE POST OFFICE BOXES OR ADDRESSES OUTSIDE OF THE PORTSMOUTH WATER AND FIRE DISTRICT.

Click Here to Register for CodeRED Emergency Notification System

FAQ | What is CodeRED, and Why is it important?

CodeRED is a new emergency notification service by which the Portsmouth Water and Fire District officials can notify residential and business water customers by telephone, cellular phone, text message, or electronic mail about emergency situations or critical alerts.  The system is capable of sending messages only to specific streets or to the entire water system customer base.

Does this mean the District will be calling me constantly?

No.  The District respects your privacy.  CodeRED will be used when emergency situations arise that you should know about.

The system will be used to send messages only to those customers and businesses directly affected by a particular event.  For example, if you happen to live in an area for which a “boil water” advisory has been issued due to a water main break, CodeRED will call only you and your neighbors to deliver that very important health advisory.

If there is a District or region-wide water emergency, all District customers will be contacted by the method of their choice and kept up-to-date on developments.

For what kinds of situations will CodeRED be used?

Boil water orders, water use restrictions, disruption of water service and water system flushing.

Why do I need CodeRED when I have TV to keep me informed?

CodeRED is an additional measure of safety District officials believe its customers need and deserve.  If power goes out, you may not be able to depend upon TV.  However, because telephone lines are self-powered and most people now have cell phones, the District can continue to keep you informed through messages delivered by CodeRED.

Even if you have power, CodeRED will probably be able to reach you with important information faster than TV and radio stations can put it on the air.  That’s because CodeRED is a direct connection between you and the District.

Many emergencies occur without advance warning. In such cases, you may have no reason to turn on a TV or radio or you may be sleeping.  That’s when CodeRED can help District officials alert you immediately and advise you to take appropriate action

How will I recognize a CodeRED message?

A CodeRED message will have a caller ID 866-419-5000.  We suggest you program this number in your cell phone as a “new contact” and use “CodeRED” as the contact name.  If you need to replay the emergency notification message again, simply dial this number and you will be able to hear the message again.  A CodeRED message will usually begin, “This is an emergency message from the Portsmouth Water and Fire District.”

What should I do if I receive a CodeRED message?

Listen carefully to the entire message.  It will be brief and will not be repeated.  Follow any instructions given. Do not hang up until you have heard the entire message or you might miss vital information.

I have a cordless phone, and it does not work when the power goes out.  How is the District going to be able to contact me?

There are two ways you can continue to receive telephone messages from the District through CodeRED:

1. Make sure you have at least one working corded telephone – and be sure to turn the ringer on.
2. The CodeRED “Community Notification Enrollment” sign-up form gives you the option of filling in two phone numbers.  Entering two phones will result in both phones receiving the calls.

Will CodeRED leave a message on a machine?

Yes, CodeRED will leave a message on a machine or on voice mail.  Part of the CodeRED solution is the patented ability to recognize answering devices and leave the message completely in one pass.

What happens if the line is busy?

If the line is busy, CodeRED will try two more times to connect.

What circumstances might prohibit CodeRED from delivering a message to me?

If you have moved or changed your phone number and have not registered your new contact information, CodeRED may not be able to contact you.

If you have only cordless phones in your residence, the power is out and you have not registered an alternate phone number or an email address, CodeRED will not be able to contact you.

If your line is busy for an extended period and your calls do not forward to voice mail or an answering machine in a busy condition, after three tries CodeRED will stop calling your number.  The District will receive a report of undelivered calls and can instruct CodeRED to begin another round of calls to busy numbers.  It’s best to have an alternate phone number in the calling database for these situations.

If you have privacy manager on your main phone service, CodeRED will not be able to contact you unless you have registered an alternate number that will accept the call.

Does the District have my telephone number, or do I have to sign up to receive CodeRED emergency calls?

The CodeRed system has combed public databases for the land-line phone numbers associated with District addresses.  But, don’t assume that the system already has your phone number.

If you have an unlisted number or have moved or changed your telephone number recently, you should definitely sign up for the CodeRED service or update your information you have already provided.  Any new information you supply will automatically replace old information.

In addition, when you register, you can add cell phone numbers and email address as additional means to receive District CodeRed messages.

The registration form only allows me to enter a primary and secondary telephone number.  What if I want to register additional numbers for my address?

After you submit the initial registration form, you may start the registration process again and submit more numbers for the same address.

I have a business located in the District.  Can I arrange to have CodeRED call my business?

Yes.  Go to the District website and click on the CodeRED link.  Click the “business” option and fill in the required information. Please note that emergency calls can only be delivered to a direct dial number. Automated attendants will disrupt the process and the calls will not be delivered. Businesses should register their main number and establish a procedure for distributing the CodeRED message to their workforce.