EMA to ask for funds to replace broken tornado siren in Jackson
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JACKSON, Tenn. — A broken tornado siren in Jackson will cost thousands of dollars to replace, according to Jackson-Madison County Emergency Management Agency Director Marty Clements. A tornado siren on the roof at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital quit working months ago, according to Clements. Cynthia Bolton lives nearby and said fixing the siren should be a top priority. “You depend on things like that you know, when the warning comes to seek shelter,” Bolton said. Clements said nearby sirens by the mall, along the Highway 45-Bypass, Hollywood Drive and North Parkway overlap to cover the affected area, except for a parking lot along West Forest Avenue. “Vibration of the noise banking off of the hospital buildings, so again that may help it,” Clements said. “In reality, we don’t know.” Clements said they plan to leave the broken siren where it is but put a new siren at a nearby location. “To take new equipment up there, it’s going to take either a couple of cranes to go in there or a helicopter,” he said. Clements estimates installing the new siren will cost more than $20,000. “Get it fixed no matter what the cost, and whatever way they have to go to get it fixed, through helicopters or whatever, get it fixed,” Bolton said. Clements said all 47 tornado sirens in Madison County work except for this one. Clements said a tornado siren went up at the hospital in the late 50s or early 60s. He said he plans to ask the capital committee for funding to pay for the new siren.
