Shelby County will use a grant to purchase eight new weather sirens during 2006.

The county received $114,692 in grant funds this cycle, according to County Manager Alex Dudchock.

Plans are to pursue funds for 20 more sirens during the next grant cycle.

Dudchock said the county has a priority list and the grant funds will be used for sirens according to that list.

First on the priority list for these eight sirens is the Cahaba Valley Fire Department, located at 1321 Dunnavant Road in Birmingham.

The coverage area is the fire district that includes a public school with more than 700 students and a private school/daycare with more than 250 students.

The number of homes projected within five years exceeds more than 2,000.

Others on the priority list are:

– Four Mile Volunteer Fire Department, located at 941 Highway 55 in Wilsonville. The siren will affect a rural area with 30 percent of residents in the coverage area living in manufactured homes or wood-framed structures.

– Dry Valley Volunteer Fire Department, located on Highway 19 in Montevallo. The siren will affect a rural part of the county with more than 650 structures, a large percentage of whom reside in manufactured homes or wood-framed structures.

– Pea Ridge Volunteer Fire Department, located on Highway 10 in Montevallo. The siren will affect a rural part of the county with a low density of homes, most of which are manufactured homes or wood-framed structures.

– Vandiver Volunteer Fire Department, located on Highway 43 in Vandiver. This is another rural portion of the county. The siren will be placed in a community outdoor park with a proposed community storm shelter.

– Town of Wilton. This small municipality has fire service provided by the city of Montevallo and only police officer. The town of Wilton has no means to support the purchase of a siren.

– Town of Westover. Westover is Shelby County&8217;s newest municipality with no tax base at present to support the purchase of a siren. Future growth in this area of the county projects more than 1,000 homes within three to four years.

– Town of Wilsonville. Coverage area is located in a small municipality that is served by a volunteer fire department. It is located in the vicinity of Lay Lake