Six new COWS to protect county

Carroll County Emergency Management will add six Community Outdoor Warning Systems (COWS) to alert residents and visitors of tornado sightings or warnings.

COWS can save lives during severe weather when a tornado is sighted or a tornado warning is issued. The 19 COWS used by Carroll County Emergency Management could save your life and the lives of your family and friends. They will be activated as soon as a tornado is sighted in Carroll County or a tornado warning is issued by the National Weather Service for Carroll County.

The intent of this article is to remind residents of Carroll County that we have COWS that could make a tremendous difference anytime we have the potential for a tornado. The locations of these COWS are: Easterday, Easterday Road (Camp KYSOC entrance), English, General Butler State Resort Park, (General Butler Lodge area), Ghent, Greens Bottom, Happy Hollow, Highland Ave. (Carraco Lane), Highland Ave. (Kentucky River Bridge), Hwy. 42 West (Harbor Point Estates entrance), Kentucky National Guard Armory, Kings Ridge Road (intersection of R.D. Kendell Road), Martin Road, Mound Hill Road, Robert M. Westrick Memorial Park (Carroll County Park), Old Hwy. 227 South (I-71 Exit 44 area), Sanders, Worthville and DRC Industries (intersection of Ninth and Butler Streets).

The NWS definition for tornado watch is: Tornados are possible in your area. The NWS definition for tornado warning is: A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar.

Here in Carroll County we would potentially activate the COWS under two conditions: First, if a tornado or funnel cloud is spotted in Carroll County by first responders or county officials; second, if a tornado warning is issued by the NWS.

In either event, Carroll County Emergency Manage-ment will activate all 19 COWS (day or night). Once the COWS are activated they will continue to sound for three minutes. Emergency Management will determine whether to activate the COWS periodically for the duration of the tornado warning.

Once you hear the COWS you should proceed immediately to the safety of your predetermined storm shelter. You will not receive an all clear of any kind so you should listen to weather reports on WIKI 95.3 or WKID 95.9.

If a television is available in a predetermined storm shelter that would also be an excellent source of weather information to help determine when the threat is over and it is safe to return to your normal daily activities.

All COWS are activated on Wednesday between 1-3 p.m. weather permitting. If the COWS can’t be tested due to weather conditions the test will be completed the following Wednesday.

For more information, call county Judge-Executive Harold “Shorty” Tomlinson,  (502) 732-7000, or Ed Webb, Carroll County Emergency Management direcor, (502) 732-7019.