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March 10, 2009

County readies for storms

Staff report

Indiana’s annual Severe Weather Preparedness Week begins Monday, with state-wide emergency warning system testing on March 18.

Three tornadoes hit Indiana Sunday, the National Weather Service confirmed. The strongest, with speeds of at least 135 mph, damaged homes near Fayetteville; another struck about two miles north of Bedford. About 20 homes were damaged in the storms.

Another tornado destroyed three trailers at a Columbia City mobile home park in northeastern Indiana, according to the Associated Press.

The March 18 tests will be between 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., and 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., EDT, said Mike Martin, executive director of the Boone County Emergency Management Agency. If threatening weather develops that day, the test will be the same times on March 19, Martin said.

Martin said the week is intended to raise awareness of severe weather dangers, including strong thunderstorms and tornadoes.

Boone County hasn’t experienced a tornado since June 2006. One touched down near Advance; another was briefly on the ground about three miles west-northwest of Jamestown. A funnel passed over Granville Wells Elementary School.

A tornado that injured eight persons and caused $1.45 million in property damage struck Jamestown without warning in April 2004. The tornado struck eight minutes before the first National Weather Service warning was issued.

A tornado touched down near Granville Wells Elementary School on May 14, 2003, causing $50,000 in property damage.

Two weak tornadoes were reported in July 2002. Those storms came eight years to the day after a twister caused $2 million in damage in Advance.

Area officials have made constant upgrades to the county’s weather warning siren system.

Three to five storm warning sirens will be installed along Interstate 65 between Lebanon and Indiana 267.

Land for a half-mile either side of the interstate was recently annexed by Lebanon. An annexation committee felt installing storm warning sirens was a quick way to make newly annexed residents part of the city, said Councilman Dick Robertson.

“It’s possible we may need up to five,” Lebanon Fire Chief Ted Caldwell said at a recent City Council meeting. “We need three for sure.”

Up to $50,000 will be taken from the city’s County Option Income Tax Capital Savings Fund for the sirens, the council decided.

The units, made by Century Siren, will cost about $10,000, Caldwell said.

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