April 20, 2024

EMA Director Wants Another Way To Inform Public of Severe Weather

Garden City, KS (westernkansasnews.com) During Tuesday’s thunderstorms emergency sirens went off briefly in Garden City even though the National Weather Service had not issue a tornado warning.  Despite some confusion, Emergency Management Director Michael Paz-Torres stands by his decision to fire the sirens.

Paz-Torres says peak winds reached 85 MPH.  As for why the sirens lasted only seconds.

Emergency Management could receive the latest tool to notify the public during a severe weather event.   The mass notification system that EMA Director Michael Paz Torres wants would disseminate urgent messages to the public in a moment’s notice.

The cost for the system is 14-thousand dollars.  Paz-Torres will make the request next month before the Finney County Commissioners.