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Weather warnings by text: Kirksville adopts new alert system

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The city of Kirksville is adopting a new Wireless Emergency Alert system, which will send severe weather warnings via text messages.

The National Weather Service will broadcast these warnings through local area service towers in the affected counties at no cost to recipients. Kirksville officials say they decided to utilize the Wireless Emergency Alert system as another means of warning the public when televised warnings, radio announcements and outdoor sirens weren’t enough. 

"I think it’s money well spent" says Randy Behrens, Kirksville Fire Chief and Emergency Manager. "I think, it’s just like I said, another tool in the tool box.  I think people have to take responsibility for themselves and check the weather themselves.”

The WEA system was launched on the first of this month and the entire project has been in the works for several years, according to National Weather Service officials. 

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