Over the course of the next month crews are expected to install an additional 10 emergency sirens throughout Lafayette County, bringing the total number to 27 sirens in the rural parts of the county.

The sirens are activated whenever severe weather threatens the area and are a means of notifying the public that tornado-like weather is in the area.

Having the additional emergency sirens is great in helping keep the public safe, but they should not be relied upon by the public solely as notification dangerous weather is on the way. The sirens have a limited range and there are not enough of them to inform everyone in the county.

That is why Lafayette County Emergency Management Director David Shaw urges residents to sign up the CodeRed alert system, which is a mass notification system folks can sign up for free and receive a phone call, text, email or all three weather alerts.

All one has to do is visit the Lafayette County EMA website at ema.lafayettems.com and click on the CodeRed icon to sign up.

We commend Shaw and his staff for working to receive the FEMA grant to pay for the additional sirens, and we urge you to sign up for CodeRed system. Staying alert to severe weather could save your life or those you love.