Register your storm shelter, it could save your life
Storm season is here and we want you to be safe, and so does the Joplin Police Department. That’s the reason the Joplin Police Department has told News Talk KZRG that it’s great to have a Storm shelter, but it’s also important to register the shelter with your local law enforcement agency.
News Talk KZRG spoke with Joplin Police Captain Trevor Duncan so we could find out why registering your storm shelter is an important step in your safety.
Duncan says, “The whole purpose of us getting that information is for those peoples safety. Because the storm shelters do a great job, but sometimes those shelters would do their job but then the people couldn’t get out”
The information on your shelter is loaded into the dispatch system so if there is an emergency, a first responder will be aware that you have a shelter and you may need help.
Following the 2011 tornado, many people were saved by a storm shelter but because of the lack of cell phone service, they couldn’t communicate their situation. And the possibility of debris covering the shelter would make it hard to locate. The Storm Shelter registration system makes sure you can be helped quickly in the case of a disaster.
Click the link below if you have a shelter to register inside the city limits of Joplin. In addition, if you live outside the city limits of Joplin, but within Jasper County, the link to Jasper County 9-1-1 is located here as well. If you live outside of the city, or in a different county, check with your local law enforcement agency to get information on how to register your shelter with them.