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Cameron Needs New Tornado Siren

T.J. Carson
Cameron Fire Department Captain Alan Otter said the town's tornado siren is within this wreckage, which also contains a grain silo.

The last stand for Cameron’s tornado siren was alerting the community's residents to last week’s EF-2 twister. And now the Warren County town needs a new one.

Cameron Fire Department Captain Alan Otten said the storm damaged the siren beyond repair, leaving the town without an essential safety tool. 

“Now you’re literally gonna have guys driving around in front of the storm here, just having to blast sirens and scream. And maybe go door-to-door or whatever to tell people to run for cover,” Otten said.

Otten said the siren was the reason no one was hurt in last week’s tornado. He said the siren had been in use by the town since 1976. And the town had been seeking grants for a new siren prior to the tornado.

“(Congresswman) Cheri Bustos (D-IL) and different ones, maybe they can find us something to get us a better siren,” Otten said.

A new one would cost around $20,000. Otten said the city might look into crowdfunding sites if the grants don’t come through.