Santa Cruz County using CodeRED alerts, volunteers to prepare residents for potential debris flow

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION) Santa Cruz County officials are working on public outreach concerning potential debris flow around the CZU Lightning Complex burn area, and to do that, they have launched a test of the CodeRED system and begun sending volunteers to canvass homes.

The CodeRED system will send emergency alerts to residents in a debris flow evacuation zone, and those with landlines or signed up for alerts should have already received a message about it.

See if you are in an evacuation zone on the map below:

If you did not receive a message, you can sign up to get emergency alerts on the Santa Cruz Regional 911 website here. Residents in burn areas are also asked to download the CodeRED app on their cellphones. People with traditional landlines should receive alerts on their phones.

Other efforts to prepare residents include sending out Community Emergency Response Team volunteers to canvass homes in potential evacuation areas to help them prepare.

Santa Cruz County officials said the volunteers will carry identification and wear identifiable clothing. They will begin in the Boulder Creek area Thursday.

In addition to helping residents prepares, volunteers will ask residents to take a survey about their needs and ask for emergency contact information in case first responders are not able to find you after a potential debris flow event. The information will be used for emergency purposes only.

If you are not able to speak to volunteers, you may also take the survey here.