Over the weekend, funnel clouds, high winds, and large hail swept across parts of Montana, creating dramatic skies and damage in some areas. The weather prompted attention to the region’s emergency alert systems, particularly CodeRED, which is used in Cascade County to notify residents of emergencies.
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Amy Neckstad was one of many residents who caught the storms on camera. She recorded a video of a funnel cloud, describing it as, “Just mesmerizing to watch, you know, how the funnel whipped around. I wasn't scared, but it was also kind of like, is it going to get bigger? You really don't know what's going to happen.”
Though the funnel clouds did not touch down, the event serves as a reminder of how quickly some conditions can change and how important it is to have access to emergency alerts.
CodeRED is a public notification system used by emergency agencies in the city of Great Falls and across Cascade County. The system can send out alerts by phone call, text message, email, or landline, and is designed to quickly inform the public about emergencies that require immediate action.
Kate Brewer, the Community Risk Reduction Manager for Great Falls Fire Rescue, explains, “It could be flooding that also could result in evacuation, shelter in place if there's some type of chemical release, those kinds of incidents that warrant that really fast reaction and notification.”
The system also allows emergency responders, like Fire Rescue or local law enforcement to target specific areas or neighborhoods, rather than notifying the entire county.
Brewer says, “One that a lot of the community may remember is when there was the Vineyard fire, there was a CodeRed notification issued out for those that were living in the area where the fire was getting close to their homes and where a shelter was being opened.”
While CodeRED is free to use, residents must sign up in order to receive alerts, so some may not be receiving them. Residents can sign up for CodeRED through the Cascade County website.
Multiple phone numbers and addresses can be registered, allowing users to receive alerts for more than one location. This can be helpful to keep track of alerts near a family member’s residence or properties in other areas.
A test alert is being planned in the coming months to help the public check whether they are signed up and receiving notifications properly.
Brewer says, “One thing that we don't want to do is for residents to just get really used to CodeRED and hear from it all the time to where it's not as important when they do receive that notification.”
While CodeRED can be used in some weather-related situations — like dangerous wind damage or severe flooding — it is not used for general weather warnings such as thunderstorms or high wind warnings.
Those warnings are issued by the National Weather Service and are available through the KRTV Weather App, which is free to download.
“That includes severe thunderstorm warnings, tornado warnings, flash flood warnings,” KRTV Chief Meteorologist Ryan Dennis says, “Your phone will alert you automatically, and you can click for more details.”
As storm season continues in Montana, residents can utilize both tools — CodeRED and trusted weather alerts — to stay safe and informed. Whether it’s a fire evacuation, a power outage, or fast-developing weather, being able to receive alerts quickly can make all the difference.
To sign up for CodeRED alerts, click here.
