Clarkson Fire & Rescue is encouraging residents of Grayson County who have installed storm shelters or tornado safe rooms to notify Grayson County E-911 Dispatch of the shelter’s presence and location.
“Providing this information allows E-911 dispatchers to place a note on the address within the county’s emergency response system,” Clarkson Fire Chief Andy Cain said. “In the event of a tornado or severe storm causing significant structural damage, this information can be extremely valuable to firefighters and rescue personnel conducting search and rescue operations.”
During severe weather events, homes and buildings can be heavily damaged or destroyed, leaving debris that may cover or block storm shelters. When emergency responders arrive on scene, they may not be immediately aware that a shelter is on the property.
“By having this information recorded in the dispatch system, responders will be alerted that a shelter is present and can check that location to ensure occupants are safe,” Cain said.
Clarkson Fire & Rescue officials further said that registering shelters is a simple step that can make a critical difference during emergency response.
Residents who wish to register their storm shelter should contact Grayson County E-911 Dispatch at 270-259-0368 and provide the following information:
- Property address
- Type of shelter (underground shelter, basement shelter, or safe room)
- Approximate location of shelter on the property
- Name and contact phone number
This information will be added to the address notes used by emergency dispatchers and responding agencies.
“Registering a storm shelter only takes a few minutes,” Cain said, “but can help ensure that no one is overlooked during emergency response operations following severe weather.”
Clarkson Fire & Rescue encourages all residents who have storm shelters or safe rooms to take a moment to report their shelter information and help improve emergency preparedness and public safety throughout Grayson County.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k0105.com
