By Roger McKinney
rmckinney@joplinglobe.com
COLUMBUS, Kan. — The Cherokee County Commission has the $2,500 start-up cost to allow it to pursue a reverse 911 system, courtesy of a county manufacturer.
Greg Sitton, assistant plant manager with Evonic Industries, on Monday presented the commissioners with a check for that amount.
Jason Allison, Cherokee County emergency management director, said the company’s donation clears the way to get the service started. Allison said Sitton is on the county Emergency Planning Committee, so he was aware of the need.
Cherokee County and Newton County, Mo., are partners with Jasper County, Mo., in offering reverse 911 service to residents.
Allison said the service will call residents to alert them of emergencies. He said those may include approaching tornadoes, evacuation notifications, or informing residents of an area of a gunman at large. Unlike tornado sirens, Allison said, reverse 911 is targeted toward residents in a specific area.
“Tornado sirens aren’t the answer,” Allison said outside the meeting.
The goal is to have the system operational sometime next month, Allison said. He said the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department will provide updated information on its Web site as the start-up approaches.
Allison said home phones will automatically be loaded into the system, but residents also will be allowed to register cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses if they wish to be notified through those ways, too.
Evonic is a chemical manufacturer with a plant north of Riverton. Sitton said the Riverton plant employs 95 people. The plant makes chemicals, including those used in golf ball covers, tires and smoking-cessation drugs.
Allison said the county also will pay a $1,400 annual fee for the reverse 911 service.
