MOUNT VERNON – Knox County residents who missed warnings about last week’s tornado or worry they’ll miss future alerts should buy an NOAA weather radio, the county’s public information officer said.
An EF-1 tornado touched down in Knox County on June 13, damaging buildings and knocking down trees and power lines. Power was out for thousands of residents for several days.
Residents have told Knox County EMA that they weren’t sure who was responsible for sending out warnings or where to sign up to get them, Knox County PIO Emily Morrison said.
She said Knox residents should make sure they have redundancy in getting weather alerts and warnings, including an NOAA weather radio. Those radios will wake people up in the middle of the night so they can get to a safe place.
“The NOAA weather radios that are battery operated or hand-cranked so that they work when there's no power are going to be the best option for when you can't get your TV, when cellular service isn't working, when phones may be out,” Morrison said.
She advised residents to make sure their families are safe so first responders can get to the people who need it most, she said.
Some people were upset that the Knox EMA’s Facebook posts were delayed.
“Facebook should never be the primary source of impending weather notifications,” Knox County EMA Director Mark Maxwell said in a release. “People living in Knox County should get their alerts directly from the National Weather Service, and there are a number of ways to do this.”
Mobile phones receive wireless emergency alerts (WEA), messages sent by the National Weather Service to areas they have determined to be impacted by events. To make sure a phone is receiving alerts, open the settings tab. On an iPhone, scroll to the bottom to Emergency Alerts. For an android phone, next open Apps & Notifications to find Emergency Alerts.
People living in Knox County may also sign up for Knox Alerts on the county's website. Weather-related alerts get triggered by the National Weather Service’s Cleveland office when watches and warnings are issued. Different parts of the county may receive different alerts.
Outdoor warning sirens located throughout Knox County are intended to warn only people who are outdoors. Residents may not be able to hear it inside their houses. Knox EMA advises residents who hear sirens to take shelter immediately and listen to NOAA weather radio, local radio or TV for additional information.
