Allen County ready for severe weather

Allen County had this year’s first brush with severe spring weather Sunday, and came away in fine fettle.
“It got pretty hectic for a while,” said Pam Beasley, emergency manager for the county, who had a full complement of volunteers aiding her in tracking weather conditions from the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), 410 N. State St. “We also had six spotters and county officers spread throughout the county keeping watch.”
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning — meaning a twister had been spotted, by watcher or radar — at 8:34 that evening. The warning was canceled 34 minutes later.
“None of the spotters saw a tornado and the weather bureau issued the warning on the basis of rotation detected by radar in clouds over Allen County,” Beasley said.
Rain fell in sporadically heavy amounts and wind gusts were enough to rip limbs from a few trees, but “basically we were pretty lucky,” Beasley said.
Storm sirens continued to sound, with brief interruptions, until the warning was canceled. Iola police officers also sound sirens when severe weather accompanied by winds in excess of 70 miles an hour is imminent.
Sunday’s activation was the first for Beasley and her volunteers this year. She said more are likely, with this being the time of year when areas of low pressure, cool fronts and warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico clash over the Plains states.
The current system had moved on to the east and south today; another is expected in the nation’s midsection by the weekend.
“Anytime there is a chance for severe weather, I have at least a partial activation (of the response group),” Beasley said, which includes members of the Iola Amateur Radio Club, who are dispatched as spotters, other volunteers and law enforcement officers at all levels.
At the EOC, several sources of information are monitored continuously — dispatches from the National Weather Service, images from several Internet weather sources, information provided by spotters and social media, mainly through Facebook.
“I also correspond with other emergency managers in southeast and eastern Kansas through a chat program,” Beasley said.
When taken in total, data available gives Beasley and her aides a concise picture of what is occurring, and is the basis for Code Red calls made to those who have registered.
“Code Red gives an opportunity to reach people immediately by telephone,” including cell service, she said.
Sunday night, for example, Code Red alerts from the National Weather Service were forwarded to local residents, as well as a call which alerted subscribers that storm shelters in Iola — Lincoln and McKinley elementaries and the Bowlus Fine Arts Center — had been opened. All drew crowds, including an estimated 200 at the Bowlus.
To register for Code Red alerts, call Beasley at 365-1477, the sheriff’s office at 365-1400, or go to Allen County’s or Iola’s websites — cityofiola.com or allencounty.org — and click on the Code Red weather warning icon.

ALL OF WHAT Beasley’s team does goes for naught if people don’t keep themselves aware, she noted.
Iola’s sirens are a sure sign that troubling weather is near, but “they are outdoor sirens and some people indoors may not hear them,” she said. “Having a weather radio is a good idea, and listening to the Iola radio station (KIKS-KIOL) also helps. The Iola station did a good job Sunday keeping listeners aware of what was going on.”
When severe weather is bearing down, it’s a little late to dash off to a shelter, Beasley said. If a person or family feels unsafe at home, go to a shelter early on, when the first warnings of severe weather are circulating, she said.
“We want people to be prepared and if possible at a place of safety when a storm arrives,” she said.
If that place is at home, a basement is the logical and safest place to be, Beasley continued. In homes without a basement, Beasley said occupants should seek refuge in a central part, in a closet or bathroom and cover themselves with a blanket.
In a bit of advice that may elicit a chuckle, Beasley said an important thing to have handy is a pair of shoes.
“Be sure to have shoes where you’re going to ride out a storm,” she said. “That way if your home is damaged, you won’t hurt your feet on debris. You’d be surprised how many foot injuries happen after storms because people are walking around barefoot.”