MELBOURNE, Ark. — Izard County residents will no longer receive emergency weather notifications through CodeRED due to a data breach affecting the system, and the county has transitioned to REGROUP as its new free alert platform, officials announced Feb. 27.
Izard County Judge Eric Smith signed on with REGROUP, a reliable mass notification service that delivers alerts from the National Weather Service (NWS) and NOAA. The change comes after CodeRED, used by the county for nearly two decades, experienced a nationwide cybersecurity incident in late 2025 that compromised user data and led to service disruptions in various jurisdictions.
The Izard County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is urging all residents to sign up for REGROUP immediately, especially with tornado season approaching. Alerts include severe thunderstorms, flooding, flash flooding, heat, fire, winter weather and high winds. Residents can choose to receive notifications via email, text, phone call or any combination.
To enroll, visit the Izard County website at www.izardcountyar.org and click on the REGROUP logo. The service is provided at no cost to citizens.
The OEM emphasized the importance of quick registration to stay informed and safe during severe weather events. For questions about REGROUP or assistance with signup, contact Gary Dickerson, OEM Director, at 870-368-4113 or oemdirector@izardcountyar.org.
The Izard County Sheriff’s Office assisted by distributing flyers county-wide with information and a QR code linking directly to REGROUP registration.
The announcement thanked residents for their patience during the transition and encouraged sharing the information with family and friends. Keeping citizens safe and informed remains the top priority, officials said.
This follows a broader national issue with CodeRED, where a targeted cyberattack by an organized group disrupted services and exposed some user contact information, prompting many agencies to seek alternatives.
For the latest on weather conditions and alerts in Arkansas, residents can also monitor the National Weather Service Little Rock office at weather.gov/lzk.
