Lamar County residents have a new way of getting weather alerts

Having multiple ways to get information is what WCBI's weather team always encourages

MILLPORT, Ala. (WCBI)-  Having multiple ways to get information is what WCBI’s weather team always encourages.

In Lamar County, Alabama they are doing just that. They’ve upgraded their way of warning residents because their tornado sirens were a hit and miss.

“Sometimes they work sometimes they don’t and I wanted to get a system in place where everybody that wanted to be notified could be notified of impending severe weather or anything going on in the county that needed to be put out,” said EMA director Michael Wisdom.

Wisdom has held the title since January and came in to make immediate upgrades throughout the communities. On Friday, July 29, 2022, at Millport Town Hall, Wisdom signed people up to get alerts from the Free Hyper-Reach app.

“I drive a school bus and I think this would be very helpful you know to let me be informed of information I need to know in case there’s bad weather or whatever,” said Millport resident Judy Moore.

The app calls landlines and sends alerts to phones in the case of severe weather, crime, or road closures.

“The best part about this service is that it’s phone-based and you see everybody has their phone now so why not use it to get the warnings out,” said Wisdom.

So far hundreds have signed up throughout the county and roughly 50 people signed up in Millport; Wisdom says it seems the people have been satisfied with it so far.

“Feedback from the few severe thunderstorms we’ve had the last couple of weeks that they’re getting the messages. the word is getting out and people are calling and coming by the office,” said Wisdom.

Wisdom will be in Sulligent on Monday signing people up for the Hyper-Reach app and then in Beverton on Tuesday, on both of those days, he will be at the town halls from eight until noon.

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