By: Carmen Rodgers
After three tornadoes touched down in Elmore County in less than six weeks, school board officials are considering opening local schools to serve as safe shelters in Wetumpka and nearby communities.
“I reached out to our local EMA” Elmore County Board of Education Superintendent Richard Dennis said during Tuesday’s regular meeting. “We are going to consider potentially making our facilities available after hours, and over holidays and weekends if inclement weather does strike, so that our community members have access to a safe place.”
School buildings, especially the newer construction, are more likely to withstand extreme weather events verses older dwellings and mobile homes.
“Our schools are built with solid construction and newer, heavier, construction with block walls, and in many cases, they actually have safe areas,” Dennis said.
Dennis said he is working with local EMA officials to figure out the logistics needed to utilize school buildings as a safe place during a powerful storm, he said he would keep board members informed as more information became available.
“I will let you all know how we will arrange that, so that we can provide safety to people who are living in dwellings that cannot stand up to tornados. They would be much safer,” Dennis said.
According to Dennis, a couple of local school groups have already joined in the efforts to help tornado victims clean up, and for that he is appreciative.
“The previous tornado that took place in December, we did have a couple of schools, Holtville High School and Stanhope Elmore, that participated and went out and helped people in those areas, trying to assist with damages,” he said.
While Elmore County did receive tornado damage no lives were lost. However, hearts are heavy for those in the neighboring county who did suffer devastating losses.
“Fortunately, in Elmore County no lives were lost, our thoughts and prayers go out to those who were lost in Autauga County,” Dennis concluded.
