Maureen Will, town director of emergency communications, is urging residents who have not yet done so, to register for the town's free Code Red emergency notification system, through which residents receive automated messages that inform them of emergencies as they are occurring in town.

Ms Will said her goal is to have all local residents register for the Code Red program in which people receiving the messages do so via the media of their choosing.

Emergencies forming the basis of Code Red messages include topics such serious storms, including hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards; lost adults and children for whom searches are underway; and major motor vehicle accidents, which may pose public safety hazards for sections of town. Also, emergency messages may include subjects such as evacuation notices, bio-terrorism alerts, and boil-water notices.

The Code Red system may be used to provide townwide emergency messages, or messages for certain sections of town affected by a particular emergency.

"We are very, very judicious with Code Red messages," Ms Will said, noting that messages are only transmitted about actual emergency situations. The town's preferred form of message transmission is a phone call, during which an audio recording is played for the recipient, Ms Will said.

The simplest way to sign up for Code Red messages is to visit the town's website at newtown-ct.gov. At the lower-left section of that web page, there is a Code Red symbol. Clicking on that symbol connects the web user to the Code Red registration page.

Required information for registration includes a first and last name; plus an address for a home or second home, or other type of location. Street addresses must be listed, not post office boxes.

Users are asked to provide the telephone numbers that will receive the emergency messages. Provisions for the hearing-impaired are available. Text messages are offered as an option, or messages may be received via e-mail. There is an option of keeping personal information private, with data privacy rules explained on the web page.

The town uses the firm known as Emergency Communications Network, LLC, for its Code Red notification system.

Statistics on Newtown's Code Red system indicate that the system has 15,251 residential users and 1,081 business users, Ms Will said. The system has 16,477 users who employ mobile devices to receive their messages. About 3,325 users receive e-mail messages and about 3,042 users receive text messages.

First Selectman Pat Llodra said the town uses the Code Red system to both inform residents of emergencies and to explain the public response to those situations.

Ms Llodra said Code Red is an "important tool" used by the local government to make the public aware of emergencies. She encouraged people who not are registered for Code Red to register now. Mrs Llodra also urged residents to register for another information service offered by the town.

"'Subscribe to News' is the system we use to inform community members about important and timely issues. Most information that is communicated in Subscribe to News is not critical, but is rather of general importance to residents. But the Subscribe to News blast function works hand-in-hand with Code Red during emergency situations," Mrs Llodra said.

Residents can register for Subscribe to News by visiting the town's homepage at newtown-ct.gov. The Subscribe to News icon is located near the Code Red icon on the left hand side of that page.

Through e-mail, users can receive regular information concerning recreation field closures and cancellations; general news and announcements; Planning and Zoning Commission notifications; a brochure on recreation; town government agencies' meeting minutes and meeting agendas; and Board of Education meeting minutes and agendas.