Carroll and Leflore County emergency management coordinators are getting out the word: It’s tornado time in Mississippi.
To help alert residents to weather warnings, both counties have installed additional weather alert sirens.
The town of Vaiden recently installed a new siren, which will be tested every Wednesday at noon, according to Bobby Grantham, Carroll’s emergency management coordinator. North Carrollton also has a siren, as well as Black Hawk, but the Black Hawk siren is being repaired, Grantham said.
In Leflore County, four additional sirens have been added, according to emergency management coordinator, T.W. Cooper.
“We put one at Lamb’s Studio, which should cover Pillow Academy and the people who live in the area. We want to make sure our schools can be alerted,” he said.
Another one went to Grenada Boulevard Extended, one was put at Phillipston, and one on Humphrey Highway at the intersection of County Road 512, Cooper said. The additional four makes 24 for the county, including two that were placed at Mississippi Valley State University about two years ago.
Both counties hope to get additional grant money to improve weather alert ability.
“We are now starting to consider more up-to-date methods of alerting the public, such as a reverse 911 system that could call all citizens who register for the service. It could be used for any kind of emergency,” Cooper said.
Grantham said he hopes to get more sirens for the county. It has applied for 11 but only received money for one.
In a weather emergency, people need to know to call the emergency operations center only when they need help, Cooper said.
“People don’t need to call for a weather report. We want to be able to help those who truly need help,” he said.
Leflore County’s weather problems can differ from Carroll’s in the area of flooding, Cooper said.
“We’re low lying, so we have a lot more problem with flash floods, and have to be on alert to that,” he said.
For both coordinators, keeping people safe is top priority.
“Along with wanting to keep everyone safe, I have even more motivation because a lot of my family is here,” Cooper said.
