When disasters hit it's important to be in the know and city officials want to help you have all the information you need to stay safe.

That's why Washoe County partnered with the Cities of Reno and Sparks to put in place a phone notification system called Code Red that will alert you in times of crisis.

"The sooner we can alert the public of an emergency, the sooner they can take action," says Aaron Kenniston, Washoe County Emergency Manager.

While no system can ever be guaranteed to be disaster proof during the chaos of an emergency and unforeseen circumstances can make some modes of communication inoperable. 

By using these three methods local officials make every effort to keep the public informed. Again, Washoe County makes no guarantees that you will be notified during an emergency, so we encourage self-reliance. However, by signing up you will be included in the database for emergency notifications.

"Alerting people of approaching wildland fires and whether we need to evacuate or we're setting up a community shelter," says Kenniston.

NOTE: If you have an unlisted number, or wish to list your cell phone or work phone for emergency notification, fill out the form on the enrollment page.

We encourage citizens to monitor their preferred media and check with neighbors to stay informed.

Methods we use include, but are not limited to Search and Rescue or First Responders going door-to-door, use of sirens or loud speakers on emergency vehicles, news releases, local TV and radio, internet, social media, the Emergency Alert System (EAS), or Reverse Dialing (CodeRED).

To sign up for Code Red, click here.

(Washoe County contributed to this report.)