BIGGS/GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) wants you to know your zone!

From floods to fires, Butte County has experienced an array of natural disasters over the recent years. The BCSO has created an alert system and evacuation map to help notify residents throughout the county in the event of an emergency situation.

BCSO Officers took the opportunity to meet with Biggs City Council Members to educate and familiarize them with the system.

According to Lieutenant Steve Collins, member of Emergency Management for BCSO, after the campfire BCSO began a process working with CALFIRE to establish an evacuation map and later, specific evacuation zones to help the public. BCSO also utilizes a CodeRED alert system through OnSolve, which sends out emergency notifications to your phone, cell, or email in an emergency.

In addition to these measures, BCSO has utilized a new “high-low siren”. Each marked BCSO unit is equipped with this siren and BCSO wants residents to be aware that when they hear it, they should be prepared to take action.

Lt. Collins says that even with CodeRED and the sirens, knowing your zone and referring to the evacuation map, if able, is critical during an emergency. Often the evacuation map and zones are updated easier and faster during an emergency when compared with CodeRED alerts, door-to-door notification, or notification via siren. This, says Lt. Collins, is simply because it takes more time to generate the alert messages and more manpower for siren alerts then it does to update the evacuation areas on the map.

Lt. Collins urged council members to encourage their Biggs residents to get familiar with their zones - not only the zone that their home may be in, but also the zones where they or members of their family work, go to school or otherwise frequent.

This is applicable to residents in Gridley and surrounding areas of Butte County. Each City within Butte County has multiple evacuation zones that are referred to by both law enforcement, fire and other agencies. Per the current evacuation zone map, Biggs has 3 main evacuation zones within the city limits, Gridley almost 30, not counting unincorporated areas and areas just outside the city limits.

Being prepared in case of emergency can greatly affect the outcome. To view evacuation maps, locate your evacuation zone, view zones currently under evacuation warnings or orders, hear a message from Sheriff Kory Honea and demonstration of the high-low sirens, or to sign up for CodeRED alerts, please visit www.buttecounty.net/sheriffcoroner/.