Rogersville Tornado Warnings Went Unheeded By Many

This week, the National Weather Service confirmed tornadoes in two areas of our region. Two tornadoes touched down near Lebanon, Virginia, and another near Pound, Virginia. Another part of our area activated its tornado warning sirens, but that warning was not heeded by many residents because they didn’t know what it was.

The Rogersville Fire Department blasted their fire whistle for three minutes last Friday evening, which is the signal that a tornado is very possible in the area. Assistant Fire Chief David Jackson says police officers spot two funnel clouds that night. “It was imminent,“ says Jackson.

But many residents, such as Heiskell Phipps, heard the warning and didn’t know what it was. “I was accustomed to hearing one or two times for the fire department,“ says Phipps, “but I had never heard it go as long as it did.“  Phipps says he nearly went to the fire department to see if they needed help for a fire call.

Jackson says the problem comes simply from the fact they haven’t had to use the warnings in so long. But he says they do plan to do drills more often so the public is more aware of what the warning means. “Should they hear this,“ says Jackson, “it means take immediate shelter, don’t go look out the window.“