Following Code Red outage, commissioners authorize staff to switch mass alert service and recover subscriber data

Staff and Director Robbie Westwood briefed the board on an outage of Code Red — the county’s mass public safety notification system in use since about 2017 — which was recently rendered partially inoperable by a cyberattack. Westwood and the committee that evaluated vendors (including 9‑1‑1 and public safety directors) said they were able to recover uncorrupted subscriber data from Code Red and recommended options moving forward.

The record shows the committee evaluated multiple vendors and discussed price differences: one vendor referenced as 'Regroup' was presented as a lower‑cost option ($6,000 per year or $13,700 for a three‑year contract) while a vendor referenced in the transcript as 'OnSoft' (the record also contains alternate renderings of that name) was shown at a higher annual rate in staff comparisons. The chairman moved to enter a three‑year engagement with the vendor identified in the record as 'OnSoft' (and to authorize the chairman to sign any required notice to the previous vendor); the board approved the motion.

The chairman and staff said recovered subscriber data can be migrated to the new service so most residents will not need to re‑subscribe, though some residents may choose to reconfigure how they receive alerts (phone call, text, or both). The board expressed appreciation for the staff work and the research provided by Director Westwood.

What’s next: County staff will execute the approved engagement documents and migrate recovered subscriber data to the new vendor; the county will notify residents of any changes and options for alert delivery.