Albright said his office will help anyone set up a personal warning system regardless of the cell-phone provider they use.

“About every provider offers this,” he said. “It’s available unless the user has opted to shut off their text messaging. Most every cell phone has the option to receive a text message.

“On May 10, my phone went off before the sirens.’’

Need help? Albright can be reached at (417) 624-2334.

Question

Why can’t the new electronic signs along Interstate 44 be used to warn motorists if a tornado might be ahead of them?

The Missouri Department of Transportation is trying to do just that. The department is talking to the National Weather Service about adding severe-weather messages to the message boards, according to Wendy Brunner-Lews, a spokeswoman for the department’s office in Joplin.

“MoDOT and the NWS are trying to come up with a process, but there are four NWS offices that serve Missouri,’’ she said. “We’re trying to determine how we could make sure the proper messages are installed in the proper regions with appropriate timing.’’