Monticello Lacks Tornado Warning System
Michael Ford
Senior Staff Writer
Though it’s been roughly 50 years since the last tornado in Monticello, there have been near misses since then, according to Professor Jim Edson, director of Turner Neal Museum.
“I have been told by a number of students and local residents that tornadoes don’t strike Monticello for a variety of reason,” Edson said. “This is just another case of misinformation.”
With the recent onslaught of tornadoes in Arkansas, the question was posed: Why does Monticello not have a warning siren for tornadoes?
“I don’t have an answer,” said Bill Horn, Monticello’s Emergency Management officer. “Funding is always an issue.”
Horn presented to the quorum court the information he gathered about a county-wide system. This system is comprised of 19 sirens with controls and support equipment capable of covering Monticello and the immediate area with one for Winchester, one for Tillar, one for Jerome and one for Wilmar.
The cost estimate on this installation was $366,564. The court elected not to fund the project. Horn has since given this back to Truman Hamilton, the director of the Economic Development Commission, and he is working to get grants to lessen the cost to install an early warning system.
“I am inclined to use a multiple system approach,” Hamilton said. “I prefer using the existing system now in place with a siren system and a reverse 911 system. The cost of a reverse 911 system varies greatly and could exceed $190,000. To include cell phone notification drives up the cost substantially.”
Monticello and Drew County residents can receive alert tones from the National Weather Service. The tower serving this area is located just south of Star City. This transmitter operates on frequency 162.400 at 1000 watts and will activate weather alert radio receivers when the weather service sends an alert tone or test tone.
The local radio stations, KGPQ, KXSA and KHBM are equipped to relay these alerts as well. A complete list of NOAA transmitters serving Arkansas can be viewed here.
The United States Department of Agriculture has grant monies available on a match basis based on medium household income to help defray some of the cost of a warning system, according to Hamilton. Some of the Drew County area served will qualify for an 85 percent match. However, the largest concentration of equipment will be located in an area that will only qualify for a 15 percent grant. Arkansas rural community development has grant monies available for this type of project also.
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