TORNADO WARNING ALTERNATIVES COULD SAVE LIVES IN FUTURE

Cape Girardeau doesn't have an outdoor tornado warning system, despite the fact the city has been the target of two deadly twisters. An 1850 twister destroyed St. Vincent's Church and 100 homes and killed a seminary caretaker. The second big storm was even more lethal in 1949, leaving 21 dead and 72 hospitalized. It leveled 202 homes and 19 businesses.

With that history, newcomers and visitors might think the city would rush to an early-warning tornado system. It did, in 1980, but the results were somewhat disastrous.

The city installed a dozen warning sirens in 1980 at a cost of $110,000. But they were soon removed after tests showed the sirens couldn't be heard in all parts of town. Cape Girardeau's hills and valleys proved a formidable sound barrier. Cost estimates for installing a siren warning system today run at least $500,000.

That history leaves many city officials -- and taxpayers -- hesitant to pursue the matter again. But that shouldn't stop the city staff from investigating less-expensive storm warning alternatives.

Some communities sign an agreement with their television cable systems that allow emergency preparedness officials to take interrupt all programming on all channels when severe storms or tornadoes are approaching. Other towns simultaneously sound fire, ambulance and police sirens to warn the public of impending severe weather.

Tornadoes are far from a rare occurrence in Missouri. The yearly average from 1950 to 1994 is 26, according to the National Weather Service. The annual average number of deaths from tornadoes is three, with 50 injuries. In Missouri, 615 persons have been killed by tornadoes from 1916 to 1994, but the great majority of those tornado victims died before 1950, before radio and television grew in importance for storm warnings.

Cape Girardeau isn't alone in its lack of a storm warning system, but it is in the minority, according to the National Weather Service in St. Louis. Officials there estimate 35 to 40 percent of Missouri cities aren't equipped with such a warning system.

The city may be well served by investigating other methods of storm warnings.