Todd County is now the latest county in Kentucky to be deemed StormReady by the National Weather Service.
NWS Paducah Warning Coordination Meteorologist Christine Wielgos congratulated the county during Friday morning’s fiscal court meeting.
To become a StormReady community, Todd County had to implement:
- A 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center
- Have more than one way to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and to alert the public
- Create a system that monitors weather conditions locally
- Promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars
- Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and doing emergency exercises.
Wielgos was accompanied by Steven Eddy, the Meteorologist-In-Charge at NWS Paducah, to present the designation.
Later in the meeting, Todd County Emergency Manager Daniel Smith said they are committed to further protecting the county, with plans to bring a proposal to the court to consider purchasing an additional eight storm sirens.
Smith added the goal is to inform as many people as possible who are outside with the sirens.
The plan, which could cost up to $200,000, involves installing eight self-sustaining sirens that do not require connection to the power grid. Additionally, the plan could include purchasing weather radios to distribute to residents who are not in close proximity to a storm siren.
Ultimately, Smith stated that the goal is to ensure storm sirens are installed at all schools and fire departments in Todd County.
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