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Shawnee County emergency management warns of severe storms, urges shelter planning
Summary
Emergency management advised residents and county departments to prepare for severe thunderstorms and possible tornadoes the evening of May 19 and reminded staff to identify shelter locations in county facilities.
Dustin Nichols, Shawnee County emergency-management staff, warned commissioners and the public that scattered thunderstorms were forecast for the afternoon and evening of May 19, with the main severe window between about 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. He urged departments and residents to identify and, if needed, walk to shelter locations in county facilities and to pay attention to radar and app warnings.
Nichols said the county will not automatically sound sirens countywide for every event; sirens are now used to warn people within specific warned areas. He said some sirens at mass-gathering locations can be used for pre-recorded or spoken lightning warnings and that county leadership will send further weather updates later in the day.
Nichols also reviewed a recent tornado event that produced no prior watches or warnings and used that example to emphasize vigilance during thunderstorms. He asked department heads to confirm shelter capacity and to plan for customer safety if storms approach county facilities.
The commissioners received the briefing and had no additional action items on the topic.
