A Sad Reminder

I'd like to look back quickly to my post on January 31 of this year regarding weather sirens. Today's Christian Science Monitor reports that a siren system in Atkins, Arkansas likely saved lives during the tornadoes that hit the Southern United States on Tuesday. Many residents in Atkins were able to find shelter after they heard the sirens twenty minutes before the tornado arrived.

The Monitor states that "With better weather monitoring and the wider use of sirens and other warning systems, the number of tornado deaths per million Americans has been decreasing in the United States for decades. " It's one thing for me to state in a blog entry that a frequently tested and functional weather siren system is important; it's another for a tragic incident to solidify how vital these systems are. Tuesday's devestating storms in the South were a sad reminder that while you cannot predict and plan for every disaster, preparation is vital. These tornadoes hit earlier in the year than expected. Fortunately, an effective siren system can provide short-term notice no matter when an event occurs, and hopefully save lives.

Read the article in the CSM here.