Maryland town greenlights weather alert sirens after teen drowned in flooding
Weather alert sirens will be coming to Mount Airy, Maryland, months after a 13-year-old drowned when flash flooding hit the area last summer.
While the Mount Airy Town Council voted unanimously on this, some councilmembers did raise some concerns, particularly with cost.
However, other councilmembers said these sirens are worth every penny.
Bolstering safety in extreme weather
Mason Kearns, 13, drowned in July after flash floods wedged him into a storm drain.
Ever since then, Mount Airy's Inclement Weather Task Force, which was formed in response to the deadly flooding in Kerr County, Texas, has been looking into how to prevent another death.
The answer became weather alert sirens, similar to what's already installed in Ellicott City, Maryland.
The task force said the current plan calls for two and is estimated to cost $93,500. The cost would be included in the town's next budget.
The sirens would only activate when there's a tornado warning, a considerable and catastrophic flash flood warning, or a destructive thunderstorm warning. They would also sound off for National Weather Service warnings.
Lucie Riegel, one of the task force members, said the sirens will help immensely because cell phone service can be hard to come by in some parts of the town.
"If this system only prevents the loss of one more town resident, then we feel it is worth every penny spent," Riegel said.
Cost concerns with the alert system
While every councilmember supported the alert system, some raised concerns about the cost and the potential for future costs down the road.
However, other councilmembers, including Council President Tim Washabaugh, argued town council's vote is simply to commit to building.
"You're asking questions that they haven't even started to look at yet, and honestly, we got more information here than I thought we would," Washabaugh said.
The hope is to have at least half the cost covered by grants and donations, or potentially partnering with neighboring municipalities to cut down the cost.
The goal is to have the sirens placed within the year, where exactly is up for debate.
Community support
WJZ met Jon Brand and Emma Evans as they were playing basketball at Watkins Park, which is near where Kearns died.
Both agree more safety precautions need to be in place after what happened to Kearns.
"Obviously there are a million things you wished would've gone differently," Evans said. "I think it's important, if nothing, just for the peace of mind of people in the community to feel like they have an extra tool to help their own families."
Both also agree the sirens are worth the cost.
"Anything to save lives is important. I like the idea if it can actually help somebody not succumb to what that poor kid had to deal with," Brand said.
