Louisville first responders prepare to stay ahead of severe storms
WINSTON COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – You may not be able to stop Mother Nature but you can prepare.
With severe weather in the forecast, area counties are getting storm ready.
Winston County knows all too well what Mother Nature is capable of.
Winston County First Responders said they are making sure to stay ahead of the weather as much as possible.
And in an area that has known destruction, they’re offering shelter to those who may need it.
In 2014, Louisville witnessed one of the most intense tornadoes ever in the area.
Now, when storms are on the horizon they make weather safety a top priority.
Sheriff Mike Perkins said the past has taught them to try to stay ahead of the weather that can come.
“We’ve been through a tornado before here in Winston County, a major tornado that mostly everybody knows,” Perkins said. “We are now prepared to react anytime we have anything that serious. If they have any issues, electricity goes out or trees in the yard, trees on the house, if they notify 911 we will be responding us and the voluntary fire department to help out citizens anyway we can.”
Winston County is offering nearly a dozen storm shelters for the public.
They include shelters at Nanih Waiya High School, each volunteer fire department, and municipal buildings.
Combined, they can hold more than 2,000 people.
The largest and most noticeable is the Louisville Community Safe Room.
This shelter is made for severe weather being able to withstand winds up to 250 mph.
Louisville’s Director of Public Safety Chris Young said it’s their priority to get the community prepared for potential storms.
“All the fire departments are running and cranking saws now, sharpening chains that kind of thing, to remove debris off the roads,” Young said. “I guess after a while it just kind of develop a process as second nature. It’s something we do every time making sure we are prepared, making sure that everything’s ready to go. The last thing you want is to get out and cut a tree and the saw won’t crank, chains dull that kind of thing.”
Young said while there are many shelters available in the area, your home shelter can also be an option.
“If you are at home and going to stay at home make sure you have supplies for the first 72 hours because it could take a while for first responders to get to you and you need food, water, medicine, and radios so you know what’s going on for those initial 72 hours,” Young said.
You can visit our website to see the a list of all the local storm shelters closest to you that’s in our viewing area.
