CodeRed

Village of La Grange Emergency Notification System

Click on this icon to enter or update your information

What if an emergency situation arose in La Grange and all or portions of the Village were affected? How can people be notified? The Village has implemented a new tool called CodeRed, an emergency notification system capable of placing up to 60,000 telephone calls per hour. A pre-recorded message will be delivered telling residents and businesses about the situation and what action needs to be taken if any.

When a situation arises in La Grange, Village staff will turn to the Internet and the CodeRED mapping tools to designate a call area based on addresses. With the push of a few buttons, a pre-recorded message describing the situation will be delivered to a live person or an answering machine in the affected area and can include instructions requiring action on the part of the recipient.

CodeRED is a geographical based system where street addresses are needed to select the telephone numbers that will receive emergency notification calls. The database has been supplied by the Emergency Communications Network but does not necessarily contain 100% of the information needed to call the targeted area.

No one should automatically assume his or her telephone number is included. All businesses should register; as well as all individuals who have unlisted phone numbers; those who have changed their phone number or address within the last year: and those who use a cellular phone as their home phone. Registration can be completed by clicking on the CodeRED icon above and following the instructions.

The system works with cellular phones but requires a La Grange street address. People who have recently moved in the Village but kept the same listed or unlisted number will need to update their address in the database. When entering information, please fill out all of the screens. The newest data entered will replace the old data.

CodeRED will be used for emergencies or disasters that might call for action like evacuation, sheltering in place, or boiling contaminated water. Once the situation is remedied, a call can be placed to the area signaling that the issue has been addressed and that normal activities can be resumed.

For more information about CodeRED, call the La Grange Police Department’s Non Emergency number at 708-579-2333 (select menu option #2).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CodeRED?
The CodeRED Emergency Notification System is a new, fast communication service allowing the Village of La Grange to notify citizens of an emergency situation. It enables the Village to provide mass notification quickly and easily.

How will I benefit from this service?
The high-speed telephone system will allow the Village to contact participants to provide information about a critical situation, what action needs to be taken, and notification that the situation has been resolved.

What do I have to do to receive this benefit?
To receive CodeRED calls, you will need to click on the CodeRED icon and enter your information. The service is free.

How does it work?
CodeRED delivers the important message through a high-speed telephone calling system to a phone number inputted in the system. Village staff will access CodeRED via a secure portal on the web. A "call area" will be marked identifying street addresses. Telephone numbers will be matched up electronically to these addresses and a pre-recorded message will be sent out via the telephone with information about the incident and instructions for action to be taken.

Will the system work with cell phones?
Yes. But, your cell phone number needs to be associated with your La Grange address (this notification only applies to incidents occurring in La Grange). We encourage you to click on the CodeRED icon at the top of this page and follow the instructions for inputting or updating your information.

What should I do if I receive a CodeRED message?

• Listen Carefully
• Follow Instructions
• Don’t hang up until you hear the whole message (the message will not be repeated)
• DO NOT call 9-1-1 unless instructed to do so (You will only tie up emergency lines)

What does a CodeRED message sound like?
The message will begin with a statement advising that the message is from the Village of La Grange. The remaining text will provide information about the situation including how and if people need to respond. You may be directed to tune to a local radio or television station for updates and additional information. Here’s a sample of what you might hear:

• Chemical Spill – Shelter in Place
  This is a message from the Village of La Grange. Due to a hazardous material release in your immediate area, all citizens are requested to shelter in their homes, turn off all heating, air conditioning and ventilation, close windows and doors and tape any gaps that will allow air inside. Shelter within the inner most part of the house. Bring all pets inside. Please do not call 9-1-1. Once the situation is resolved, you will be notified via the telephone. Thank you for your cooperation.
• Chemical Spill – All Clear
  This is a message from the Village of La Grange. The hazardous materials release has been resolved and it is now safe to resume normal activities. No necessary action need be taken. Thank you for your cooperation.

What should I do if I don’t receive a message?
Your area of the community may not be affected. In which case, you won’t receive a call even if it’s only a block away. Or, maybe your phone number and address don’t match up, or are not even in the system. In that case, we encourage you to return to the top of the page, click on the CodeRED icon and follow the instructions.

No one should automatically assume his or her telephone number is included. All La Grange businesses should register; as well as all individuals who have unlisted phone numbers; those who have changed their phone number or address within the last year; and those who use a cellular phone as their home phone. Registration can be completed by clicking on the CodeRED icon and following the instructions.

What is CodeRED used for?
CodeRED will be used for significant incidents and events where the timely notification of an affected population or geographic area is essential.

Is CodeRED the only means of notification?
No. CodeRED is only part of the notification process. Other tools include the Village’s web page, and media outlets like local television and radio stations. Residents are always encouraged to tune into local media outlets for the latest information.

Will CodeRED be used for all emergency notifications?
Yes. Examples of times when the CodeRED system could be utilized: drinking water contamination, utility outage, evacuation notice & route, missing person, fires or floods, bomb threat, hostage situation, chemical spill or gas leak and other emergency incidents where rapid and accurate notification is essential for life safety.

Will CodeRED be used for any non-emergency notifications?
Yes. The system may be used to notify citizens of non-emergency situations as necessary and appropriate.

What if I am not at home or cannot answer my phone?
The CodeRED system will record messages to voicemail and answering machines. When there is no answer at a telephone number, CodeRED will attempt to deliver messages three times before deleting from the queue.

Important note!
If you have caller ID installed on your phone, the CodeRED call may display as an "unknown caller", however, the number will be 999-911-9999. Please make a note of this and do not disregard calls from this number!