Okmulgee County seeks $200k grant for new storm sirens

When severe weather strikes, every minute counts. That's why Okmulgee County officials say they're working to get new storm sirens.

Beggs residents tell 2 News Oklahoma they're ready for the upgrade.

Annette Willis said tornado sirens cannot be heard from Beggs.

During thunderstorms, she stays glued to the TV to stay informed.

"I'm scared to go to sleep at night. I can't depend on anything waking me up besides my telephone," she said.

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Beggs resident Dave Johnson agrees. When asked how much he relies on friends and family calling him, Johnson replied, "Quite a bit."
Okmulgee County officials say help is on the way. Emergency Manager Jeff Moore said the department is in the final stages of getting a $200,000 grant approved to install six new sirens across the county.

One siren would go in Beggs, three would be placed at Preston, Wilson, and Twin Hills school districts, and two would replace old ones in Morris, where two tornadoes touched down on April 28.

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"Oh, that was scary. Oh my. I walked outside, I don't know how many times, looking at the sky, thinking, and listening because, you know, it's supposed to sound like a train," Willis said.
According to Moore, the new sirens will be top-of-the-line and made from steel instead of wood. They'll be solar-powered, so they'll still work during an outage. If there are signal issues, they'll rely on cell phones and radio signals for backup.

• Related story >>> Tornado sirens didn't sound in neighboring Oklahoma towns

Moore said he aims to install the sirens in 10 to 12 weeks after the grant is approved.

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