Adopt-a-Siren

When a tornado threatens, those fortunate enough to live in proximity to Southeast Missouri State University know about it because of the university's system of warning sirens.

Now the warning sirens the rest of Cape Girardeau has long needed appear to be taking shape at little cost to taxpayers.

Under the city's new Adopt-a-Siren program, civic clubs and businesses will be solicited to donate the $15,000 cost of each siren.

The city's plan will start off by placing seven sirens in its parks.

The SEMO District Fair Association is paying for the first siren to be installed at Arena Park, where the fair is held.

Its cost of $19,000 will also cover the control equipment for the system.

The city plans to add more sirens once the parks are covered, with an eventual total of about 18.

Each rotating siren will broadcast the alarm to a 3.5-square-mile area.

Tornadoes pose a common and real threat to Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.

Television and weather radio do good jobs of warning us about imminent danger from twisters, but they can't provide 100 percent coverage, especially to people who are outdoors.

The sirens' wail will tell us it's time to take cover.

When children fill the parks come spring, the sound could provide enough warning to save lives.

That's worth the effort of getting a siren system in place.