The City of Admire is receiving a new severe weather warning system.
Following the failure of the city’s previous tornado siren, City Mayor Dona Uhlman reached out to the Lyon County Emergency Management Department to find a solution. Emergency Management Director Jarrod Fell says they then sought out assistance from the Emporia Community Foundation.
ECF Executive Director Linda Keheres-Schmidt tells KVOE News the project was a perfect choice for the Trussler Foundation.
Fell tells KVOE News all cities should have a functional siren as while many may stay tuned to their phones, radios or televisions during severe weather events, there are those for whom tornado sirens are the only source of warning they may have.
The foundation granted Admire an $18,000 grant to replace the siren which was approaching 60 years old. Fell says seeing systems of that age are relatively common, especially in smaller communities based on regular maintenance, the maker of the system and the cost of new systems.
Fell adds that siren replacements are often not budgeted for in smaller communities especially noting they are traditionally “out of sight, out of mind” so long as they continue to function properly.
