Warning sirens welcome in Cape Girardeau County

An additional 18 warning sirens will go live in Cape Girardeau County in October, bringing the total number to 40.

The additional sirens were made possible through a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant. The county provided a 25 percent match, which came from local public and private funds.

The sirens are a welcomed addition to our county.

The Southeast Missouri region is very familiar with tornadoes. Warning systems such as these, in combination with other outlets, help save lives and reduce injuries.

Emergency officials warn that the sirens are designed as outdoor systems and may not penetrate the walls of a home.

It's still important to stay connected to the weather through media, whether it be radio, TV or cellphone alerts such as those provided by the Southeast Missourian and other outlets.

But there are times when people, especially those living in rural areas, are disconnected from their cellphones and electronic media. The sirens serve an important purpose.

A special thank you goes out to all of those who contributed and made the installations possible.

The sirens all have been erected. The county will begin testing them soon.

Here is a list of the new townships that will now have warning sirens:

* Burfordville

* Daisy

* Delta

* Dutchtown

* Egypt Mills

* Friedheim

* Fruitland

* Gordonville

* Millersville

* New Wells

* Oak Ridge

* Old Appleton

* Oriole

* Pocahontas

* Randles

* Shawneetown

* Tilsit

* Whitewater