Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Cannon Air Force Base and the Clovis-Curry County Office of Emergency Management use different systems to report severe weather — and residents should be aware of it to avoid confusion, officials of the two entities said Friday.
The Clovis-Curry County Office of Emergency Management relies on the National Weather Service, while Cannon Air Force Base relies on its own observations.
But Cannon uses an Air Force weather evaluation system intended to give personnel time to protect sensitive equipment and its “worst case scenario” precautions may not be appropriate in civilian situations, said Capt. Travis Doke, Cannon’s weather flight commander.
When Cannon Air Force Base issues a watch or warning, the notice applies to Cannon only, Doke said.
“And we have a lot more false alarms,” he added.
A briefing Friday on the differences between the two entities’ severe weather notification systems followed an incident April 8 when several concerned people called the Clovis/Curry County Emergency Management Office after a Cannon tornado warning appeared on Cox Cable Channel 12.
Clovis was only under a thunderstorm alert April 8 and, in fact, no tornado occurred, Clovis-Curry County Emergency Management Director Ken De Los Santos said.
One of the ways Cannon issues weather watches and warnings to its personnel is through Cox Cable Channel 12, but that warning may not signal bad weather for Clovis or Curry County residents, Doke said.
“When residents see a Cannon watch or warning on Channel 12, they should turn on their local radio or television stations for further information,” he added.
De Los Santos said when the Emergency Management Office gets a weather warning, it uses the Emergency Alert System to send it to area media. An Emergency Alert System warning will then be broadcast on radio and television. It will tell what kind of dangerous weather is involved, where the weather is located and for how long the warning will stay in effect.
A weather warning also will go to National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration radios (weather radios), to city and county first responders and to members of the area’s Local Emergency Planning Committee, De Los Santos said.
Those who wish to be added to the LEPC list may call 763-9485, he added.
Residents also should be aware that Cannon and Clovis warning sirens will be activated based on the different weather evaluation systems used for each community, the officials said.
Residents should listen carefully to be sure which set of sirens they are hearing, they said.
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For more information ...
For information on safety procedures during tumultuous weather visit the Clovis/Curry County LEPC Web site at:
or call 763-9485.
