A new emergency management protocol for use of the Code Red system has drawn criticism from the Chilmark selectmen, who say the reverse 911 phone system should be streamlined and used only in extreme circumstances.

The draft protocol, set to come before the all-Island selectmen this month, matches the importance of a message with the level of an emergency manager. For example, a level-one emergency (the least critical emergency ranking) requires the chairman of the board of selectmen to authorize the activation of the system, whereas a level-four emergency call (the most serious) for a “fire chief, police chief, health agent, town administrator and [town] emergency management director” to authorize the system.

The reverse 911 system is an automated call to home telephones to broadcast townwide or Islandwide messages.

The Martha’s Vineyard Emergency Management Directors Association and the Dukes County sheriff have contracted with the company CodeRED to provide the emergency notification system for the past three years, and the words “code red” are automatically used in the recording.

The system came under fire in the summer of 2011 when Oak Bluffs used the reverse 911 phone system to publicize arrangements for the town’s annual fireworks. It was previously used in the fall of 2010, ahead of the expected arrival of Hurricane Earl. That too drew criticism as it imposed a curfew on travel during a busy Labor Day weekend before the storm hit.

Chilmark selectman and board chairman Frank Fenner said the words “code red” should be used only in the most extreme cases of emergencies and not on a regular call basis. “There are some really good benefits this system can have, but if you cry wolf every time you use it, when you really need it they’re not going to be listening to you,” he said.

Selectman Warren Doty went a step further, adding, “I don’t see any reason to use it all.” Selectman Jonathan Mayhew said the system should be used only for emergencies, not for townwide announcements.

The draft protocol also authorizes the sheriff to make Islandwide calls, and the selectmen argued their board should be making the decisions about Chilmark.

“It goes a little too far at times, it bothers me,” Mr. Fenner said.

Police chief Brian Cioffi agreed.

“Before any messages go out in any town it should be cleared by the chairman of the board of selectmen,” he said. “Each chairman should authorize that message to that town. It’s their constituents they answer to.”

Town administrator and emergency management director Tim Carroll said he would take the selectmen’s comments back to the emergency managers association for review.

The selectmen also have approved the Vineyard Transit Authority route 12 beach bus route for the summer. The bus will pick up guests at town inns and drop them off in Menemsha, Lucy Vincent Beach and Squibnocket Beach. The bus route will also provide a shuttle connection between Menemsha and Beetlebung Corner to a new parking lot at the old landfill of Tabor House Road for employees who work in town.

The bus will run from July 1 to August 31 every hour from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.