Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Capital Region Independent Media officials in the town of Coeymans are looking at implementing CodeRED, a mass communication notification system that would send alerts to the town's residents. Troy Harper, director of Government Strategy for OnSolve, presented the program to the town council at its June 23 meeting. CodeRED is a tool that allows government agencies to manage their communications, sending out alerts for everything from public safety emergencies to local concert events, depending on what the resident has registered for. OnSolve has more than 10,000 client communities in all 50 states and territories in the U.S. and it is the company that sends out Amber Alerts when children are reported missing, Harper said. Other communities that use the CodeRed system include Saugerties and the village of Coxsackie, among others. The cost to the town would be roughly $4,000 a year, Town Supervisor George McHugh said. The company does not sell the contact information and data it collects, Harper said. The system was first brought to McHugh’s attention by the town’s emergency management director, Bill Bruno. McHugh said it was a good way to reach more residents than through Facebook or other social media. Messages can go to either cellphones or landlines and with a landline a computerized voice would read the message to the recipient, Harper said. The town board has yet to make a decision on whether to implement CodeRED or not. Read the full story at TheUpStater [dot] com.