Emergency Notifications

CodeRed is used in cities and counties across the nation and has been developed to alert you and your family when disaster is right around the corner, saving countless lives when seconds matter. Commerce City and Adams County are proud to use this service for its community; however, it is an opt-in system. This means YOU must sign up. It is free to do so.  

Sign up for CodeRed

CodeRed emergency notification system will be activated in emergency situations such as:

  • Risk of significant harm
  • An urgent threat
  • For missing children or persons
  • Hostage situations
  • Shootings
  • Fires
  • Chemical releases
  • Natural disasters
  • Other non-emergency situations like road closures and debris removal instructions after a severe storm

For more information visit ADCOM.

NOAA Weather Radio

Please note that CodeRed is meant to enhance our notification system but not replace all others. One essential tool you can have in your household is a NOAA weather radio. Information can be found on NOAA’s website.

Warning Tower Program

Commerce City has 20 warning towers spread across the city that notify citizens of the imminent threat of a tornado. This Warning Tower Map(PDF, 1MB) shows the locations of the warning towers near you.

The warning tower system is activated when the National Weather Service (NWS) issues a Tornado Warning anywhere within the city boundaries. Warnings indicate imminent danger and require immediate action to take shelter. For more information on tornadoes and safety procedures read the Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Lightning – A Preparedness Guide(PDF, 2MB).

Warning Tower System

When it is activated the warning alert consists of:

  • Three cycles of a 1 minute siren wail tone followed by a verbal warning message in both English and Spanish, which states “Warning, a tornado warning has been issued for your location. Please take shelter immediately.”

     

  • Once the threat has passed, then an “All Clear” message will be issued. The message consists of an alert tone for 5 seconds followed by a verbal “All Clear” message in both English and Spanish stating, “All clear, the emergency is over.” This message will be repeated twice.

OEM performs an audible test of the warning tower system between noon and 1 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month.

Commerce City residents living near the border of Denver and Brighton may hear their warning sirens even though the emergency does not affect Commerce City, and the system has not been activated.

Dick's Sporting Goods Park also has a warning system for the outdoor soccer fields surrounding the stadium to clear the fields due to lightning, winds, or other hazardous weather. Depending on conditions and wind direction, the Dick's Sporting Goods Park warnings may be heard as far as a mile away.

Please contact the Emergency Manager at 303-289-3792 if you have any questions or concerns about the warning tower system.

Warning Tower FAQS

Why do we not use the towers for other threats?

It simplifies the warning system so that there is no confusion upon activation of the sirens. For example, if we activated the sirens during a flash flood event, but many believed it to be a tornado event, they might retreat to their basement, which is not an ideal location if they are in the vicinity of a flood plain.

Why do the sirens go off every month?

Our OEM team does monthly testing of our 20 towers around noon on the first Tuesday of every month to ensure there are no operational failures that we need to be concerned about. The messaging that accompanies this testing is relayed in both English and Spanish.

Since we have technology, why do we even use towers?

Like many cities, we are evaluating our long-term plan on whether we will continue to keep the towers around or remove them as time goes on.

I don’t think my local tower is working. What should I do?

Thank you for keeping an eye out for your community. Please reach out to your OEM team at (303) 289-3792.

 

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