No sirens activated during tornado warning in Warren County - MSNewsNow.com - Jackson, MS

No sirens activated during tornado warning in Warren County

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The National Weather Service has confirmed an EF-2 twister was responsible for a path of damage in southern Warren County Wednesday morning.

Many citizens contacted Three On Your Side asking why warning sirens were not activated. Not one siren warned the people of Vicksburg or Warren County violent weather was headed their way.

Why? The president of the Warren County Board of Supervisors Bill Lauderdale said most of the 15 sirens don't work and they have no intention of fixing or replacing them. He said it's too costly to maintain the warning system.

Lauderdale said people need to find other methods for tornado warnings.

 A twister dropped out of the sky around 11:30 Wednesday morning on Gullett Road. A homeowner was shocked to find out the sirens were not activated.

"No I wasn't aware of that" said Mark Gullett. "That's news to me."

Gullet and others had no idea the sirens would not be sounded. He doesn't have a weather radio, and satellite television goes out during heavy winds and his cell phone will not work in his home.

Supervisor Lauderdale said the sirens were purchased years ago to warn people if something happened at the Grand Gulf Nuclear Power plant.

When I asked how residents would get warnings now without sirens, he said "That's an issue we will have to talk about and work out."

Copyright 2012 WLBT. All rights reserved.

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