Sirens

Cape Girardeau city officials have plans to add five sirens during the next five months, which would double the number of sirens currently in the city.

The idea is to reach as many people as possible for weather emergencies, such as a tornado warning.

There are many ways to keep track of the weather these days -- from cellphones, email blasts, text alerts, weather radios, televisions, radios and websites, for example -- but that doesn't mean warning sirens aren't valuable.

In Southeast Missouri, strong storms can develop quickly, and there are several scenarios in which people could be disconnected from media that would alert them. Storm sirens are more invasive in that they can't be lost, run out of battery power or accidentally turned off.

The locations of the sirens still are undetermined. The city will be testing several areas, including places such as parks and shopping centers. The cost for the sirens could approach $150,000. The sirens will be funded by tax revenue from Isle Casino Cape Girardeau.

This is a good and worthwhile project, one that could save lives.