The Marion County Board’s 911/ESDA Committee met for the first time Tuesday night to begin looking at ways to improve severe weather warnings to residents throughout the county.
There seemed to be agreement between the county board and ESDA/Emergency Services members in attendance that the outdoor warning sirens were old technology that for most areas of the county were not effective. However, a need was still seen in areas like Forbes State Park near Omega where there were a large number of residents and limited cell service.
Law Enforcement Committee Chair Steve Whritenour, who is also heading the new committee, wants to look at a system that could notify residents of severe weather on whatever devices they are connected.
“One of the problems that we have with our existing tornado sirens is it doesn’t reach that many people. So with Hyper Reach, having the capability of reaching more citizens of the county. They can have a cell phone call, text message or email. And if you don’t have a cell phone, it can even notify a landline.”
And Whritenour says such a system is adopted, cities and villages could also participate.
“The municipalities and villages within our county will be able to send out messages to just their local citizens. Maybe a street closure, or a water main break.”
Whritenour says the cost to the county of providing the service to all residents would be $9,400 a year, much less expensive than trying to repair just one siren.
He’s proposing the county could pay for the service out the quarter cent sales tax being collected for public service.
County Board Chair Debbie Smith agreed with Whritenour the storm warning system should be county wide and not piecemeal among individual communities.
Whritenour is inviting a representative of Hyper Reach to the next committee meeting on August 16th. A representative of one of the companies maintaining
the outdoor warning sirens will also be on hand to discuss issues with the aging sirens.
Whritenour says the third component of the committee’s work will be to re-establish storm shelters for those who live in mobile homes or don’t have a safe place to go during severe weather. He’s hoping to work with communities throughout the county along with schools and churches to perform the service.
