BY KAREN BOSSICK

Blaine County residents and visitors are invited to sign up for a new emergency alert system after the CodeRED system that Blaine County has been using was the target of a cyberattack.

The cyberattack caused a nationwide CodeRED Outage & Data Breach. Some user information was stolen and could potentially be leaked, according to Chris Corwin, Blaine County Disaster Services coordinator.

This may include name, address, email, phone number and passwords connected to CodeRED accounts.

Corwin said that those who use the same password for CodeRED and any other accounts should change those passwords right away.

There is no evidence yet that the stolen data has been published. But users should stay alert by monitoring their accounts, credit and personal information.

Corwin said that Blaine County has decided to transition its alerting to the Rave alert system, which will provide a more secure, reliable platform for emergency notifications. The Rave system also utilizes Smart911, a voluntary data base that allows the user to give information in advance to the 911 center to make a response in an emergency situation more efficient.

To continue to get emergency and community alerts for Blaine County, Idaho, on the Smart911/Rave Alert system go to: https://www.smart911.com/smart911/ref/reg.action?pa=blainecountyidaho 

Or, text Blaine to 226787. This will automatically enroll a cell phone to receive texts, sending the link to finish the opt-in process.

Smart911/Rave Alert will allow notify residents and visitors of emergencies, road closures, severe weather, public safety incidents and other critical information via phone call, text message or email.

The CodeRED notification system will expire at the end of January when Blaine County’s contract with CodeRED’s provider Onsolve expires.

Rave Mobile Safety, the provider of Smart911, is owned by Motorola Solutions. Its enhanced functionality allows users to voluntarily provide information concerning medical needs and household details, to the Smart911 data base. This will help Blaine County 911 and first responders deliver faster, more effective assistance during emergencies or disaster situations.

To learn more, visit www.smart911.com.