New Lee County emergency warning system requires online sign-up

Lee County used the first Monday of 2019 Atlantic hurricane season to announce a major change to its emergency warning system. Gone is the longtime CodeRED alert system; now online is AlertLee. It’s critical to note that for you to take advantage of this enhanced system, you must take action.

Lee County’s newest system, AlertLee, must be signed up for online. You have to provide both your address and cellphone number.

MORE: AlertLee main page

That gives emergency managers the ability to send alerts directly to your phone or computer, so if there is an emergency, you know exactly what to do.

Since 2010, Lee County has relied on CodeRED to deliver important emergency information to people, but AlertLee will be effective immediately in the county.

“It’s a new system where we partner with all of our local municipalities as well as the sheriff’s office,” said Jonathan with Lee County Public Safety.

So if hurricane season is bearing down, and the county issues an evacuation order, you’ll get that critical word on your phone.

“You’ll be able to download your information, so you can get info. during any type of event,” said Lee Mayfield, director of public safety and emergency management.”

To go along with AlertLee is a companion app called Lee Prepares.

“We’re rolling out a couple different products here this week related to notification and making sure the citizens can get info. during a hurricane,” Mayfield said.

Again, using an evacuation order as an example, Lee Prepares helps you determine whether that order applies to you.

“It is the responsibility of the public to know what evacuations there are and what zone you live in,” Jonathan said.

Partnering with other organizations allows the county to send you updates during any natural disaster. That includes brush fire evacuations.

More information is available on Lee County’s notifications & resources page as well as the AlertLee website.

The two new systems are designed to keep you safe before, during and after a hurricane.

“Before the storm, you can utilize it for how you can build your supply kit to formulate a disaster plan,” Jonathan said. “[After the storm] you can figure out where you can get food and water, figure out the reentry times, [and] are there curfews enacted.”

MORE: Frequently asked question about AlertLee 

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