http://www.wsmv.com/story/17115535/lave ... ert-system
Posted: Mar 08, 2012 5:19 PM CST
Updated: Mar 08, 2012 5:30 PM CST
La Vergne, TN (WSMV) -
LaVergne city leaders have pondered adding weather warning sirens, but the price tag was quite high. Now they are considering a much cheaper system that can alert residents at home or work, by phone, email or even social networking sites.
The rain this morning was the least of the worry for folks in LaVergne. Instead it's the severe stuff like the tornados that hit the mid-state last week that has city leaders wanting to sound the alarm.
"We dodged a tornado barely," said city spokesperson Kathy Tyson.
John Martin's home in the Walnut Ridge Subdivision wasn't so lucky last year it was hit by a tornado.
"It just got pitch dark, and all of a sudden it starting blowing really hard to the point of shaking the house. It did extensive damage," Martin said.
He's all for the city warning residents about severe weather.
"That way if you're at the grocery store you can hear it or something like that, shopping you can hear it and get home," Martin said.
The city is considering implementing Code Red; a computer based call alert system that can be used for more than just weather alerts.
"I believe it's the most efficient way to alert our residents of emergency or severe weather outbreaks," City Alderman Tom Broeker said.
The system can be customized and folks can decide how they want to receive the warnings.
"Your home phone, your cell phone, your work phone, your email, your work email," Broeker said.
At first LaVergne City leaders had considered adding 10 weather warning sirens around the city, but with a price tag of more than $600,000 and an out cry from some residents, that was taken off the table.
Two tornados within three weeks of each other in November 1900, virtually blew LaVergne off the map according to city history. Those devastating events coupled with the recent outbreaks of tornados have prompted the city to protect residents at any cost.
But until some type of alert system is in place, the city has launched a new website where residents will be alerted on social networking sites about severe weather.
The mayor and Board of Aldermen will be voting on the Code Red system at tonight's board meeting. It will only cost $6,000 for the system for the remainder of the year. After that it will cost around $21,000 a year for unlimited use if the city signs a 5-year contract.
