Do You Use Community Storm Shelters?
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 As strong storms swept through our area, many people listened to warnings and took shelter.
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Many cities and towns in our area have installed their own community storm shelters, some with the help of federal and state grants. The community storm shelter in Maplesville can hold about 100 people.
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Town leaders say they’ve seen a large increase in the number of people seeking shelter, since a tornado ripped through this area in January 2012.
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“There are a lot of people, who if they hadn’t had that, they would have had more casualties than what they had,” said Lily Smitherman, who lives in Maplesville.
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“We check it every week to make sure it’s ready, because you never know, and in 2012, when the tornado hit, I’m sure it saved some lives,” said Mayor W.C. Hayes.
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The State Emergency Management Agency tells us they don’t have a comprehensive list of community shelters. They say your local EMA office can let you know where to find one in your area.
