NORTH PORT — At 1 p.m. today, the city of North Port will be utilizing the CodeRED Community Notification System to send a test call to the entire community. This system has been used by emergency personnel in several incidents over the last few years to notify the public of issues of concern, including missing children, fire hazards, flooded roads and more. The purpose of the test call is to identify telephone numbers which are no longer active and give city personnel the chance to operate the system as if there is a communitywide disaster. The calls will begin at 1 p.m. and will continue until the entire database has been completed — approximately one hour. If you receive the test message on your phone, no further action is necessary.

Richard Berman, the city’s Emergency Management coordinator, suggests that “all individuals and businesses who have additional phones on which they would like to receive messages should take the time to register those phones.” To do so, visit the city of North Port’s website at www.cityofnorthport.com and at the bottom of the page, click on “Community Notification System.” There, you can add contact information including cellphones and Voice-over IP phones (such as Comcast and Vonage), as well as email and text addresses. Those without internet access may call North Port Fire Rescue at 941-240-8150 to register. Required information includes a North Port street address (no P.O. boxes) for location purposes and a primary phone number. Additional phone numbers, email and text addresses may also be added. Any questions should be directed to Berman at 941-240-8150.