The Town of Westover has taken another step toward protecting the safety of its citizens with the installation of a new weather siren that can be heard within the incorporated area.

The purpose of such sirens is to be heard outside so that residents can take appropriate action to seek shelter inside.

It might interest one to know that there are two peak periods for severe weather in Alabama. They are the months of March, April and May and the month of November.

In the past 10 years, severe weather has been more active in Alabama in November than any other month.

The new siren in Westover will sound whenever the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for the area.

Located at city hall, the siren was installed with the help of a $10,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency grant secured by the Shelby County EMA.

The siren cost the town of Westover just $3,000.

We echo the hope of Mayor Mark McLaughlin &045; this siren is the first of more to come

that will help warn people inside and to be safe while bad weather rages outside.

Westover experiencing growing pains as sub divisions and eventually more business moves into its corporate limits.

We believe the new siren is a positive step to make the town a safe and prosperous place to live.

We encourage other communities that are not fully covered by weather sirens to seek to have then installed for everyone&8217;s benefit.