The Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency is sponsoring a program aimed at making sure that individuals who do not have an adequate way to get weather warnings can now do so at no cost.

Director Shawn Rogers says that his office will offer free weather radios to residents that are elderly or disabled, do not have a reliable landline in your home or if you do not have adequate cell phone service at your residence.

Rogers said that if you do have reliable phone service, either on a landline or cell phone then the EMA office can get you signed up to receive Code Red alerts free of charge.

At the recommendation of Director Rogers the Cherokee County Commission allowed him to redirect funding that was previously used to repair outdoor weather sirens to be used to purchase these radios. Rogers says that weather radios and the Code Red alert system is much more reliable than the outdoor sirens. Over the last several years a number of outdoor sirens across the county have experienced mechanical issues and parts to repair the issues are extremely costly.

There is a short application process involved to make sure you qualify. For more information you can contact the Cherokee County Emergency Agency by calling 256-927-3367 or the Cherokee County 9-1-1 Business Office at 256-927-3911.