Cole County Emergency Management buys weather radios for rural communities

March 30, 2021 at 5:05 a.m. | Updated March 30, 2021 at 10:16 a.m.

by Joe Gamm

A Hawaii Civil Defense Warning Device, which sounds an alert siren during natural disasters, is shown in Honolulu on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. The alert system is tested monthly, but on Friday Hawaii residents will hear a new tone designed to alert people of an impending nuclear attack by North Korea. The attack warning will produce a different tone than the long, steady siren sound that people in Hawaii have grown accustomed to. It will include a wailing in the middle of the alert to distinguish it from the other alert, which is generally used for tsunamis. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
A Hawaii Civil Defense Warning Device, which sounds an alert siren during natural disasters, is shown in Honolulu on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. The alert system is tested monthly, but on Friday Hawaii residents will hear a new tone designed to alert people of an impending nuclear attack by North Korea. The attack warning will produce a different tone than the long, steady siren sound that people in Hawaii have grown accustomed to. It will include a wailing in the middle of the alert to distinguish it from the other alert, which is generally used for tsunamis. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)

Cole County Emergency Management has purchased weather radios for households in rural Cole County communities where warning sirens can't be heard.

CCEM received $5,453.10 from the United Way of Central Missouri Long Term Recovery Committee for the radios.

CCEM Director Sierra Thomas approached the United Way after the nonprofit announced in February its intention to offer opportunities for $400,000 in community grants.

The United Way, at the time, announced it would make $150,000 available for any of its 28 partner agencies. The application process for those grants closed less than two weeks ago. Eighteen agencies requested more than $180,000 to help offset administrative costs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, local United Way President Ann Bax said.

Those requests will be assessed in the coming weeks, and the United Way Board will vote on them April 20.

The United Way also announced $250,000 in Community Support Grants in February for any nonprofit agencies offering health and human services and serving part of the United Way's local area. The area includes Cole, Camden, Maries, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Osage, Phelps and southern Callaway counties.

The application process for those grants remains open until 5 p.m. April 21. Visit unitedway cemo.org/grants to learn more.

When Thomas approached the United Way, Bax said, it was clear her request could best be met through the Long Term Recovery Committee, which is helping families overcome several disasters that have occurred over the past three years.

"We're in the heart of storm season," Bax said. "We were able to make that happen a lot faster."

The grant paid for enough radios, at less than $25 each, to be provided for 219 households in Hickory Hill, Honey Creek, Lake Carmel and Osage Bend, Bax said.

Melissa Johnson, with Cole County Geographic Information Systems, created a map to show the areas that had population clusters and were out of the warning siren range, which helped organizers determine how many radios would be needed, Thomas said.

"These radios have arrived at the Emergency Management Office and the logistics of delivering to the citizens recognized in these areas is still being worked out," Thomas said in a news release. "However, these will not be mailed out. They will either be delivered, picked up, or an event may be established for receipt."

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