Cobb County could change the way it notifies residents in an emergency after several complained about an early-morning phone call the county sent Wednesday.
The county sent out a CodeRED alert between midnight and 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, notifying them that 12-year-old Marquise Jackson, an insulin-dependent diabetic was missing. The automated calls shocked some residents who were unaware of the emergency notification system, and who also questioned the timing of the call.
A 911 operator was found to have violated the CodeRED policy by initiating the alert before contacting the county’s 911 manager, said Robert Quigley, Cobb’s spokesman.
“The most frequent complaint from residents was about the time of day the call came in,” he said. Since Wednesday morning, 340 residents have opted to have their phone numbers removed from the alert notification database. About 64,000 homes were called Wednesday morning. Recommendations could come Monday that would amend the criteria for using the CodeRED alert, including limiting the time of day the alert would go out, Quigley said.
County public safety officials, the county manager and commission chairman are scheduled to meet Monday to discuss the changes.
Marquise Jackson was found in good condition at a friend's house around 2 a.m., Cobb police said. The CodeRED alert was not instrumental in locating him.
Residents wishing to opt out of the CodeRed alert notification can email Andrea.Pritchett@cobbcounty.org
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