The Office of Emergency Management for Castro County and the Regional Emergency Preparedness Office of the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission are asking local residents to register their storm shelters.
“This information is very important in case first responders have to locate trapped individuals in a storm shelter after a disaster”, said Sheriff Sal Rivera, Castro County Emergency Management Coordinator. “This is strictly confidential, and nobody’s address will be shared with the general public.”
The registry of storm shelters is private and is used to aid first responders in the event of a disaster, such as a tornado, and gives a more exact location to find shelters, which is especially important with in-ground shelters that are more easily hidden by debris or damage.