Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Benefit For Warning System Set

By JOHN MILLER An effort is being made to raise money for a computerized weather satellite system for Nevada County.

According to Charles Backus, director of the Office of Emergency Services in the county, $2,500 is needed to obtain the equipment and have it set up.

This system, he said, will help the OES with early notification and severe weather warnings and possible tornadoes faster than television. He pointed out the National Weather Service in Shreveport, La., was unable to see the Cale tornadoes earlier this year because its radars cannot see below 7,000 feet in this region. The Cale twisters were less than 5,000 feet.

Backus said the weather system would be set up at the Nevada County Rescue Unit, though it will belong to the county and OES. It will be manned by volunteers from area volunteer fire departments after they have been trained by area meteorologist Davis Benton.

The fund raiser, Backus said, will start Nov. 26, ending Dec. 20 with a drawing for a Browning .270 rifle. Other prizes include a $100 gift certificate from Taylor's Big Star Grocery and a $50 gift certificate from Prescott Hardware.

These prizes were obtained through donations made by Jack Faulkner's Body Shop, Marcia Lasiter Insurance Co., Auto Parts and Supply, J&J Fuels, Van Oil Co. and the Prescott Fire Department.

"We need a warning system," Backus said. "We're located in an area where devastating tornadoes go through. The National Weather Service can't read them below 7,000 feet, and this system would give us advance notice when we see a (storm) cell forming.

"The NWS can put out watches and warnings, but we can tell people to take precautions."

While getting the system in place and operational will take $2,500, it will cost $800 a year to continue leasing the equipment.

Tickets for the fund raiser will be $1 each and can be purchased at any of the following locations: the Eagle's Nest in Emmet; Bodcaw Grocery; Allen's Grocery in Bluff City; Waters and Odell's and Paula in Willisville; TJ's Convenience Store in Rosston; John Henry Grocery in Laneburg; Oliver's One Stop, Baker's Best Stop, Redi-Mart East and Prescott Hardware in Prescott. In addition, tickets can be purchased from members of fire departments.

The drawing is currently scheduled to be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20 on the Nevada County Courthouse steps.

Donations can also be made directly to the Weather Satellite Fund at the Bank of Prescott.