In response to a recent letter from an Ocala resident who voiced concerns on the lack of a tornado warning in Ocala/Marion County, several residents wrote in to share their thoughts on the topic.
“Marion County needs to immediately request for the State of Florida to implement an active Tornado Alert system for the whole Marion County area. Most recently, within a week of each other, tornado conditions have occurred in the Marion County area. Weather events of this nature ‘without prior warning’ put residents, homes, businesses, and the many thoroughbred horse farms located here at risk of death, severe injury, and devastating property damage. It is absolutely unfathomable that Marion County has not implemented an alert system to address these events. Residents of Marion County: request for the county to step up and move forward immediately to provide for the safety and preservation of our community by putting the necessary alert system in place as soon as possible. With the severe weather predicted for 2022, an alert system of this nature cannot be implemented soon enough. This is not something to be put off. It is something that every one of Marion County’s residents needs now, not next year or next month,” says V. T. Rankin, Reddick resident.
“I didn’t get a watch or warning either. Being here in Florida, we have hurricanes, tornadoes, and high winds. There is absolutely no protection from these weather conditions as there are no basements or shelters to protect ourselves. The best a person can do is to drive out of the path for safety as long as there are early warnings. No warnings and you’re screwed. I’m also from another state and there is no protection from any kind of storm which makes me think about moving. I’ve never seen anything like this. There is absolutely no protection,” says Ocala resident Richard Spaans.
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