Webster Co. adopts new siren policy
Jorgensen said he prefers to err on the side of cautionBy KATIE SCHMITT, Messenger staff writer
POSTED: June 4, 2008
Fact Box
To learn moreFor more information regarding the new warning siren policy, call Tony Jorgensen, coordinator for the Webster County Emergency Management Agency, at 573-1403.
The new policy states that if a tornado warning goes into effect for any part of Webster County all the sirens are to sound — no matter what.
Tony Jorgensen, coordinator for the Webster County Emergency Management Agency, created the new policy in light of the recent weather pattern threatening the county.
‘‘Parkersburg taught us a really good lesson,’’ Jorgensen said. ‘‘And due to the recent weather, I want this new policy ready now.’’
Jorgensen said it is always better to err on the side of caution.
“It could be blue, clear skies with no wind and within five minutes the weather could change and you could get those swirling green clouds signaling a tornado,’’ he said.
He said the National Weather Service, stationed in Johnston, sends out a radar signal that monitors the weather but only travels in a straight line. Due to the curvature of the earth, the signal is only reading the weather at 4,000 feet above Webster County.
‘‘There is a lot of weather underneath that 4,000-foot ceiling that their radar would not be able to see,’’ Jorgensen said.
He said the new policy is much simpler than the previous one and will ensure safety for the entire county even if the National Weather Service misses something.
‘‘Fort Dodge had its own policy,’’ he said. ‘‘This gets rid of all the confusion. I’d rather have an over warning than have someone get hurt. I couldn’t live with that.’’
Webster County dispatchers are very busy during the average day, Jorgensen said, but when the weather turns for the worse it’s hard to determine which cities need to be warned and which ones shouldn’t be.
The new policy also has a list of approved people who can sound the sirens. Once the order has been passed down from the National Weather Service, no one can override the decision.
Jorgensen said any resident with a complaint about the new policy should call him instead of police or City Council members.
Contact Katie Schmitt at (515) 573-2141 or katie@messengernews.net
Member Comments
View Comments: | 1-12 | Post a comment
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Robertwilson
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06-06-08 12:26 AM
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This is a warning system. No matter what or how you do it there will be complacinent thinker's. It's there own fault. Me I want to be warned in case . If the rest of you would rather not want it then don't listen to it. Me so what if it goes off and then there is nothing at least you'll be around to complain about how well it worked. It's not Crying Wolf, it's a warning, think about it you can never be to safe. Cry wolf syndrome, gee whiz if thats how you show what you think of a good system then you'll need to do some Heart felt thinking..
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shadow
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06-05-08 10:36 PM
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It is not the fact that I live underground I have been in several tornados and as a medical professional I have seen the results of one. I also know it is human nature that when you do something over and over you get to used to the situation and relax after a while and that is the problem. As far as a tornado hitting at night it is very rare and this year is an unusual year. If you knew a professional Meteorologist you would know this. There is such a thing as over kill. But we will always have over zelueos people too. I am sure his heart is in the right place but he is wrong this time.
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Robertwilson
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06-05-08 8:13 PM
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To all you people out there that are living underground, I say think before you speak and read before you Speak. AS fast as a Tornado can develope and move you should be dang glad that your being warned. Remember several of them can drop down out of the sky at the same time all over the county. And if it's at night when your asleep you'll be very glad you were warned ahead of time. So be glad we have people looking out for us as well as ourselves. They don't have to warn us at all it's not the Law you know. It's a service that you should be prasing and not knocking. My God people wake up.
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shadow
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06-05-08 11:30 AM
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What are you thinking Mr. Jorgensen? I was a resident of Webster County for most of my life and thought it was one of the best counties in Iowa till I read the article on the siren issue. I think the LORD that I am in another county now. If the Siren goes off all the time when there is a warning anywhere in Webster county people will start to ignore the sirens and people will die. You said’ Parkersburg taught us a really good lesson,’’ What lesson was that you can't hide from an EF5 tornado? The residents in Parkersburg and other towns in the path had plenty of warning to take cover. Unfortunately it was an EF5 tornado and is the strongest one known. If they did not have the warning they did more would have lost their lives that night. My heart goes out for the people in that area. But if that county had a county wide warning system in place I know (common sense and history tells us) more good people would have died that night. Thank GOD that county did not have someone like you looki
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kaleidoscope
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06-04-08 11:36 PM
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Tonight was a perfect example of why we need the alert siren sounded when a tornado is sighted anywhere in the county. For over 2 hours the television stations focused on storms in the Corning area. Not that it wasn't necessary, but when we have equally threatening storms in our area, we get little, if any, coverage or warning. I have a NAOO weather radio and would urge everyone to consider having one. If you can't afford one (they run about $40), maybe a program through Webster County could be implemented to give discounts on them. If that isn't possible, maybe neighbors could join together to have one and share with one another dangerous weather.
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Leighton
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06-04-08 5:57 PM
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My impression has always been that when weather forecasting equipment was a lot less acurate and the overall knowledge of how the storms are created, the tornado sirens would sound when a tornado was spotted, as this was the only way to "forecast" one. Now we can monitor storms hundreds of miles before they reach a town, and give ample warning that a tornado is LIKELY to occur with the storm. That means that the town can alert everyone with the siren that a tornado warning has been issued, and that we need to get ourselves and our families to safety. It is not crying wolf. Would you rather that they didn't issue a tornado warning when the weather conditions are right for a tornado and only wait until one is spotted?
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RaceFan
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06-04-08 1:20 PM
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I have to vote with FORSAFETY. If a county resident is not intelligent enough or hasn't enough common sense to heed a storm warning, then they have no one to blame but themselves if their personal property or safety is jeopardized. Additionally, it is each parent's responsibility to educate their children to the danger of ignoring, or otherwise falling prey to the "cried wolf" syndrome, when legitimate storm warnings are announced.
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wcborn
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06-04-08 1:08 PM
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Further more...they have always said that the sirens are for those that cannot be near a radio or tv. They aren't meant for those of us inside watching the news. So what good would it be to say that it is the public's responsibility to seek further information once the sirens are sounded??
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FireFly50501
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06-04-08 1:06 PM
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I guess I didn't realize the policy had changed. I was accustomed to the sirens going off when there was a tornado anywhere in Webster County. I was alarmed as to why we didn't have sirens during last weeks tornado warning...especially when the tv reports that it is by our airport! Anybody with children knows how sirens can cause anxiety, but it's up to us as parents, to remaun calm. In the past, i get my kids to the basement...regardless!, and make sure we have a radio with batteries and flashlights readily available. I say the latest policy change is how they should have left it. Keep us warned, because sometimes the sirens are the only warning we have, if we aren't watching local tv. My advise to everyone is to keep provisions ready to go in your safe spot...and don't forget to include bottled water. In the event of a direct hit, there could be a long wait for rescue!
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wcborn
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06-04-08 1:05 PM
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I also believe it will become a "cried wolf" situation. I believe that saying shame on them if they ignore it is the goverment's way of saying "hey we told you, we are covering our butts". Counties in Iowa are too big to say "yes, sound the tornado warning" even though the tornado is 20 miles away and not coming this way (especially Webster Co.).
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FORSAFETY
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06-04-08 10:09 AM
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The responsibility of alerting people of a possible impending disaster is all on the Emergency Management group and the dispatchers at the Law Enforcement Center. If someone in this county chooses to ignore a tornado siren because of the "cried wolf" syndrome as you call it then shame on them ! By changing this policy Emergency Mgmt. will be completing their responsibilities of warning the public, the public then has a responsibility to seek further information, via radio, tv, etc. to determine if they are in direct danger and then act accordingly. Much better to be alerted in these cases and have nothing happen then to not be alerted and be faced with loss of lives that could have been prevented with a warning.
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JANICE
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06-04-08 8:22 AM
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My only concern is the "cried wolf" too many times syndrome so people will think it's not for us but the whole county and never heed the warning at all. Believe me we have many who think like that. I hope you are right but I fear you are wrong.
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