Editorial: Emergency sirens alert tri-community to severe storm

The Sumpter Township Board of Trustees meeting adjourned at 7:44 p.m. on Tuesday and those attending the meeting just had time to get home and snuggled inside before the township’s emergency sirens sounded a stern warning at 8:47.
Sumpter police also sent a Nixle alert warning everyone that severe weather was upon the area with a possibility of tornadic activity in northern Monroe County, just over the township line. Then, at about 8:53 p.m., Van Buren Township emergency sirens sounded. No explanation through Nixle, but obviously we were having a big storm so stay alert.
The National Weather Service announced severe thunderstorms with the capability of a tornado near Maybee at 8:18 p.m., moving northeast at a speed of 25 mph. The warning expired at 9:30.
On Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service was to go out and check the tree damage in Berlin Township and the three homes damaged in Frenchtown Township, and whatever other damage there is in Gibraltar, to see if there is evidence of a tornado. It could be straight-line winds. The National Weather Service reports 1.2” of rain fell at Metro Airport in an hour. It was a total of 2.64” of rain for the day in VBT. Big storm.
It’s comforting to know our towns are equipped with sirens to alert the public to pending problems. It’s up to us to know what to do with that information.