If a tornado or other disaster threatens Tallahatchie County, a network of new solar-powered outdoor warning sirens will be utilized to alert the nearby population of the danger.
Funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, a project to update 12 existing local warning sirens and to install seven new ones is nearing completion, according to Thad Roberts, director of the Tallahatchie County Emergency Management Agency.
Roberts said the federal money has allowed existing sirens to be retrofitted with solar panels that convert them from straight electric to solar-generated power operation.
Seven new solar energy-fueled sirens expand the coverage of the county’s warning system to additional communities previously unserved or underserved by the network.
All sirens will be linked to the National Weather Service for faster triggering of vital warnings, noted Ashley Williams of the local emergency management agency.
New solar-powered siren sites in Tallahatchie County include the following:
• Cascilla Fire Department, 1057 Whitten Road, Cascilla
• Garrett Road (Goosepond), 1112 Garrett Road, Tutwiler
• Murphreesboro Fire Department, 6954 Tallaha Road, Scobey
• Rosebloom Fire Department, 9757 Cascilla Road, Scobey
• Sharkey-Hampton Lake Fire Department, 1162 Horton Dr., Charleston
• Springhill Fire Department, 35043 Highway 32, Oakland
• Teasdale Fire Department, 9533 Teasdale Road, Enid
Preexisting and newly retrofitted siren sites include:
• Charleston Fire Department, 498 E. Chestnut St., Charleston
• Enid Fire Department, 1016 Jackson Ave., Enid
• Glendora Fire Department, 480 Westbrooks St., Glendora
• Paducah Wells Fire Department, 2966 Paducah Wells Road, Charleston
• Paynes Fire Department, 8950 Highway 35, Cascilla
• Philipp Fire Department, 1195 Broadway St., Philipp
• Sumner (Wilson Street), 164 Lumber Yard St., Sumner
• Sumner Fire Department, 269 N. Court St., Sumner
• Tallahatchie County Road Department headquarters, 4932 Highway 32, Charleston
• Tippo Fire Department, 12476 Tippo Road, Tippo
• Tutwiler Fire Department, 273 Tallahatchie Ave., Tutwiler
• Webb Fire Department, 11493 W. Laura St., Webb
Williams said all of the sirens will be tested on the second Tuesday of each month.
She explained that Tallahatchie County residents registered with Nixle, a community information service to which the county subscribes, can receive an advance text reminder of each monthly test.
Anyone who is not already registered for the free Nixle service may do so by texting their Zip code to 888777 or by signing up online at local.nixle.com/register/.
“We urge citizens to sign up,” noted Williams.
For more information or for assistance registering for Nixle, call the EMA office in Charleston at 662-647-2540.
