Midwest Freelancer archive article
Lack of sirens during storm raises concerns
(Published Tuesday, March 21, 2006)
By Chris Post/Midwest Freelancer
More than a week has passed since Marshall was spared from the supercell system that sent tornadoes ripping across Missouri, but city officials are still weathering a storm of different sort.
Marshall Mayor Connie Latimer and John Rieves, the city’s emergency management director and fire chief, continue to answer for the fact that the city’s warning sirens never sounded during the March 12 storms.
The decision was publicly questioned Monday night by Karl “Bub” Caldwell, a member of Marshall’s public housing commission. During the Marshall City Council’s regular meeting, Caldwell said he was concerned to learn that one of the tornadoes had passed within a few miles of the city’s southern edge and no warning was issued.
“Two or three miles is absolutely noting in terms of a tornado,” he said.
Rieves said the decision was based on observations of trained weather spotters and data from satalite images. He said the tornado Caldwell mentioned was breaking up and was not going to reach Marshall. The other twisters were a good distance away he said.
“It it’s not going to affect town, we don’t blow the sirens,” Rieves said.
Latimer said deciding when to use the sirens is tricky and overuse in the past caused people to ignore the warnings.
“Every time a little black cloud came up, we sounded the sirens,” she said. “It got to the point that no one listened.”
In a related matter, Caldwell said a survey of people living in the city’s public housing units found that many of them could not hear the sirens when they were tested on March 14.
Rieves said this was possible, but also highlights a misconception about the purpose of the sirens. He said the warnings are designed to tell people outdoors to go inside and seek shelter. It is hoped that when severe weather threatens those already inside are watching their televisions or listening to radio broadcasts.
“People should be aware and keep in mind what can happen,” Rieves said.
By Chris Post/Midwest Freelancer
More than a week has passed since Marshall was spared from the supercell system that sent tornadoes ripping across Missouri, but city officials are still weathering a storm of different sort.
Marshall Mayor Connie Latimer and John Rieves, the city’s emergency management director and fire chief, continue to answer for the fact that the city’s warning sirens never sounded during the March 12 storms.
The decision was publicly questioned Monday night by Karl “Bub” Caldwell, a member of Marshall’s public housing commission. During the Marshall City Council’s regular meeting, Caldwell said he was concerned to learn that one of the tornadoes had passed within a few miles of the city’s southern edge and no warning was issued.
“Two or three miles is absolutely noting in terms of a tornado,” he said.
Rieves said the decision was based on observations of trained weather spotters and data from satalite images. He said the tornado Caldwell mentioned was breaking up and was not going to reach Marshall. The other twisters were a good distance away he said.
“It it’s not going to affect town, we don’t blow the sirens,” Rieves said.
Latimer said deciding when to use the sirens is tricky and overuse in the past caused people to ignore the warnings.
“Every time a little black cloud came up, we sounded the sirens,” she said. “It got to the point that no one listened.”
In a related matter, Caldwell said a survey of people living in the city’s public housing units found that many of them could not hear the sirens when they were tested on March 14.
Rieves said this was possible, but also highlights a misconception about the purpose of the sirens. He said the warnings are designed to tell people outdoors to go inside and seek shelter. It is hoped that when severe weather threatens those already inside are watching their televisions or listening to radio broadcasts.
“People should be aware and keep in mind what can happen,” Rieves said.