PALMER, Ill. (WAND) — With fewer than 300 residents and about 13 minutes from Taylorville, the Village of Palmer does not have any outdoor warning sirens. The mayor is trying to change that.
Matt McKinney was elected as mayor of Palmer five years ago. For the last two years, he has been trying to get sirens installed in town.
"What we're here for is public safety," McKinney said.
Right now, their alert system is unconventional. Palmer falls under a Fire Protection District, so when a tornado siren goes off four miles away in Morrisonville, their volunteer firefighters drive down to Palmer.
"They go up and down the streets with the sirens on. That is our current emergency alert system," he said.
McKinney said he is thankful for the hard work of the firefighters, but that he wants this option, which is inefficient and puts the firefighters at risk.
"I would just like to be prepared — hopefully never have to use it — but just want to be prepared that way," McKinney said.
However, there may be a solution on the horizon with collaboration across the county. McKinney said a newly-started five-year multi-jurisdictional county hazard mitigation plan will help prepare for any natural disaster.
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