Amber Alert Received January 31, 2021

We have spoken to the County and they apologized for the error and explained that the Amber Alert should never have gone out through the County’s Reverse 9-1-1 database which includes all landline phones in the County. The county has rectified the issue and will no longer send Amber Alerts to the reverse 9-1-1 database. Per protocol, anything after 11pm is to be sent out via text/email only . We were informed that this was a new employee at CECOMS (County Dispatch Center) that evening and he/she was not aware that the Reverse 9-1-1- database should not have been used and they have been made aware of this error. Additionally, the County has agreed to back up the use of voice to 10pm as opposed to the current 11pm cutoff. Using Voice (cell phone call) at 2am and 4am is NOT a responsible use. It will be corrected and the employee will be better trained.

The Village receives CodeRed for free. This program normally comes at a considerable expense for a municipality. CodeRed is the industry standard and is used in almost all Cuyahoga Counties. The terms of the free use of this system include the fact that all residents must receive County alerts. This is actually a good thing. While we will all agree that we didn’t need the late night/early morning calls this weekend there may be a time when the County is issuing an emergency that we would all benefit from and want to hear.

In Orange Village, Mayor Mulcahy has committed to using this system responsibly.

We hope that residents not only stay with CodeRed, but also encourage others to sign up. It is a wonderful and immediate means for messaging our residents with important information.

Just know that from time to time (and before 10pm only) we may receive County issued Amber Alerts, from this system that the Village gets for “free,” however, the “cost” is that we are also tied into the County emergency system as a requirement. New parameters and training are in effect so that these calls in the middle of the night do not happen again (unless a significant emergency such as HAZMAT spill with shelter in place mandate – or other such things that you would want to be awakened for). Amber alerts are, of course, very important. However, standard practice is for these alerts to go out with text and email after 10 pm.

Lastly, we need to remember that our cell phones (outside of CodeRed) also have a setting under “Notifications” that will trigger an Amber Alert. That alert can be silenced under “Notifications” for anyone wishing to do so.