As spring and summer bring sunshine and warmer temperatures,
they also bring tornado weather. Without tornado sirens as a
warning system, Parker residents need to be aware of safety tips in
case of a tornado situation.
Doreen Jokerst, emergency manager for the Town of Parker, said
the reason Parker or Douglas County does not have tornado sirens is
because the occurrence of tornadoes in the county is low, the cost
is prohibitive and the terrain impacts the effectiveness of the
sirens. She said without the sirens, it is extremely important for
people to take the necessary safety steps because tornado weather
can move into an area at a rapid pace.
“After some past tornadoes have touched down pretty close to
Parker, like the one that hit the Southlands Mall area, people need
to be aware that tornadoes can happen in the Parker area,” she
said. “Some people like to watch them, but people really need to
find shelter as soon as possible because the damage can be pretty
impacting.”
The difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning, is
when a tornado watch is announced, it means conditions are present
for a tornado. When a tornado warning is issued, it means a tornado
has been sighted or is imminent. Jokerst said during a tornado
watch, residents need to keep a radio or television tuned in for
information and should gather emergency supplies. She said during a
tornado warning people need to take shelter immediately.
“It is also smart to keep a battery-operated radio on hand,” she
said. “Many times the power will go out, so with a battery-operated
radio people are able to hear weather information from the national
weather channel or other radio stations.”
Jokerst said during tornado weather, people should go to a
basement or an interior hallway or small room without windows on
the lowest floor. People in cars or outside should find cover in a
nearby building or lie flat in a ditch or ravine.
“Always stay away from windows and don’t try to outrun a tornado
in a car,” she said.
Parker residents can sign up for the Douglas County emergency
alert program which relays emergency information via cell phone,
home phone, email, text messaging, fax and pager. This program
allows the Parker Police Department to alert residents about a
variety of urgent situations, including police activity and other
emergencies through an emergency alert message. To sign up for the
program, visit www.parkeronline.org or www.douglas.co.us.