The City of Thornton has officially launched ThorntonReady Alerts, a new emergency notification system powered by Rave – Motorola and Smart911, replacing the previous CodeRED platform. This service offered by the City is free to residents, businesses, and travelers to receive timely alerts about severe weather, law enforcement activity, and other urgent situations via phone call, text message, or email.
City officials made the transition following the data breach involving CodeRED, prioritizing a system that offers enhanced security, reliability, and public trust. To protect user information, data from the previous system was not transferred into the new platform. While standard landlines and select publicly available cellular data have been added, residents are strongly encouraged to register to ensure accurate and personalized notifications.
ThorntonReady Alerts also offers expanded accessibility features including communication in more than 120 languages. Through integrated Smart911 technology, residents can create a secure and voluntary Safety Profile for their household that provides 9-1-1 Dispatchers and first responders with critical information such as medical conditions, medications, and access and functional needs.
“ThorntonReady Alerts strengthen our ability to meet residents where they are – communicating in their preferred language, enhancing emergency response, and increasing awareness when it matters most,” says Ryan Doyle, Thornton Emergency Manager.
ThorntonREADY Video
ThorntonREADY Alerts & Smart911 – FAQs
General Information
ThorntonREADY Alerts is the City of Thornton’s official emergency notification system powered by Rave - Motorola and Smart911. The system allows the City to send critical alerts to residents, businesses, and visitors about emergencies such as severe weather, utility outages, law enforcement activity, and other urgent public safety incidents.
Signing up ensures you receive official, real-time alerts from the City of Thornton with information about potential threats and recommended safety actions. Being informed quickly during an emergency can help protect you, your family, and your property.
When an emergency occurs that meets the criteria for public notification, City officials can send alerts to affected residents. Notifications may be sent citywide or targeted to specific neighborhoods based on the incident location. Alerts can be delivered via text message, email, or voice call depending on your preferences.
Residents can receive emergency alerts for situations such as:
Severe weather – Opt-in direct push alerts from the National Weather Service.
Public safety threats
Water utility outages
Health or safety hazards
Major incidents affecting the community
Periodic system test messages
Emergency alerts are sent only when there is an immediate threat to life or property.
Alert frequency depends on the types of notifications you select and the occurrence of actual emergencies in your area of the community. The system is designed to provide important information without over alerting users.
Signing Up
Residents, businesses, and visitors can register online by visiting the ThorntonREADY Alerts sign-up page and entering their contact information.
Anyone can register for ThorntonREADY Alerts, including people who live, work, travel through, or frequently visit Thornton. You can add multiple addresses such as home, work, or school.
Once you register and confirm your contact information, you will begin receiving alerts based on your selected preferences for emergencies near your address.
You can log into your account at any time to update phone numbers, email addresses, addresses, and notification preferences.
Residents can register using a smart phone, computers at local libraries, visit the fire department tent at community special events, routine sign-up tables hosted at City Active Adult Center or Recreation Center, or by contacting ThorntonREADY@thorntonco.gov.
Smart911 Safety Profiles
Smart911 is an optional service provided by the city that allows residents to create a secure Safety Profile with important information that may help first responders during an emergency. This service is a digital form of the “File of Life” program where critical life saving information is posted on residents’ refrigerators, but now it’s available to first responders before they arrive at your home.
If you call 9-1-1 from a phone number associated with your Smart911 Safety Profile, the information you provide will automatically appear on the dispatcher’s screen. This can give first responders valuable details during emergencies.
A Safety Profile is a voluntary set of information you choose to share with emergency responders. It can include details about members of your household, addresses, phone numbers, medical conditions, medications, access and functional needs, pets, vehicles, and emergency contacts.
You may include as much or as little information as you choose. Many people provide:
Home, work, and school addresses
Medical conditions or medications
Emergency contacts
Pets in the household
Vehicles
Building or house access codes
Access or functional needs
Anyone can create a profile, but it is especially helpful for individuals with medical conditions, disabilities, elderly family members, children, assistive medical devices, or those who rely on mobile phones for 9-1-1 calls.
Creating a Safety Profile typically takes about 5–10 minutes. You can update your information anytime.
Yes. You can add everyone in your household to a single Safety Profile, including children, elderly family members, or individuals with special needs.
Safety Profiles can be created in multiple languages. When your profile appears to a dispatcher, it will automatically be translated into English, and dispatchers can request an interpreter, if needed.
Yes. You should update your information whenever something changes. Smart911 will also periodically prompt you to review your information.
Costs and Reliability
No. ThorntonREADY Alerts and Smart911 Safety Profiles are free services provided by the City of Thornton. Standard message or data rates from your mobile provider may apply.
While the system is designed to deliver notifications quickly and reliably, delivery depends on many factors like the area of immediate risk as determined by first responders, the proper functioning of physical infrastructure (i.e., cellular and radio towers), and external service providers such as cellular networks, email providers, and phone carriers. For this reason, the city uses multiple communication methods to maximize message delivery.
If your phone is busy or unanswered, the system will attempt to redial. If the call reaches voicemail, the alert message will be left.
Privacy and Security
Yes. Your information is stored securely and is only available to emergency responders when needed during an emergency. Smart911 uses secure, geo-redundant databases and strict security protocols to protect your information.
No. Your information will only be used for emergency notification purposes and will not be sold or used for marketing.
Your Safety Profile is only displayed to 9-1-1 dispatchers and first responders when you call 9-1-1 from a registered phone number.
If you have additional questions about ThorntonREADY Alerts or Smart911, please contact ThorntonREADY@thorntonco.gov.
