PLYMOUTH — Marshall County Emergency Management Director Jack Garner reviewed last week’s response to two tornado events in the county, Sunday in the Donaldson area and Wednesday’s event in Bourbon.
Regarding sirens, Garner said that there were no sirens for the Sunday event since a tornado was never officially spotted and no warning was issued by the National Weather Service. Garner said the protocol, which he agrees with, is that the siren be sounded only when such a warning is issued or an official spotter sees a tornado.
He told the Commissioners that the county sirens did give Bourbon residents a 15-20 minute warning of the impending storm. He said that the sirens are designed for those who may be outside and not as a siren for indoor warning.
He also informed the Commissioners that there are currently no sirens in West or Polk Twp. and that such sirens are normally purchased by towns or townships and can run from $25,000 to $75,000. Grants are available, but Garner said those are very difficult to secure in the “era of cell phones” but added that multiple layers of warning for such impending storms are most desirable. He told the Commissioners that would be a question to consider as to whether or not adding those outdoor sirens would be a step moving forward.
Wednesday, Garner and the Commissioners opened the Operation Center at the courthouse as part of the Bourbon reaction.
Garner once again stressed the importance of residents reporting any storm damage to 211. He said that because of flooding in southern Indiana, the state was considering making a single statewide disaster declaration to FEMA, which he said would open the door to more funding possibilities for local needs.
Garner said that the Yellow River never reached flood stage during the event.
The Department of Homeland Security is expected to do its official assessments of damage this week.
