LA VERGNE, Tenn. -
More people are choosing to be a part of a new weather warning system in the city of La Vergne.
Currently nearly 1,000 people have signed up for CodeRED.
The high-tech notification system alerts users of severe weather through telephone, email and text. It is operated by Emergency Communications Network and ties into National Weather Service warnings.
"We have actually had it in place about three weeks now. We've had two warnings, the first one was about two and a half weeks ago a severe thunderstorm warning and again last Tuesday night," explained City Alderman Tom Broeker.
The opt-in alert system is free of charge and can be used for other emergencies including HAZMAT situations, evacuations or missing children.
"You are only going to get a call here when there is an actual emergency that is pertinent to you and your area of the city." Broeker said. "Residents can opt in to their level of service. They can get text messaging; they can get phone calls to any number of phones. It is not limited to one per household. We urge everyone to put any and all of their numbers in."
The city of La Vergne currently has no outdoor weather warning system.
City leaders planned to buy 10 tornado sirens, but backed off the purchase in March due to lack of funding.
At that time, Mayor Senna Mosely told Nashville's News 2 La Vergne's outdated 911 system took priority over the sirens.
City leaders have tabled the tornado sirens in the hopes of working the purchase into next year's budget.
The new CodeRED system is used nationwide through a Smartphone app, however, La Vergne's system is specific to the city.
Through a link on the city's Web site, users can provide specific notification information such as telephone number, cell phone number, or email, and choose which emergency notices they want to receive.
Read more at LaVergneTN.gov.
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