Hopkins Co. residents prepare to face inclement weather

Dawson Springs, Ky. (WFIE) - With the threat of Tuesday night’s severe weather, many survivors of the December 10 tornado say they are on edge and are preparing for what’s to come.

December 10, 2021 is a day Dawson Springs’ Food Giant manager, Jason Davis, says he can’t forget.

“It was pretty devastating pretty devastating last year I seen most of the town I’ve lived in my whole life wiped out,” said Davis. “I mean everybody thinks its not going to hit here cause normally they avoid us this time it didn’t.”

Davis says every time it rains his children are worried and afraid of another disaster coming through Dawson Springs.

Danny Heggen also survived the December 10 tornado and is experiencing the same feelings of fear as Davis’ children.

“You have a little fear, I do because of what happened a year ago and I know a lot of people here are really scared now because of what happened a year ago,” said Heggen. “Storms have come up, are in the forecast and yea it puts something in the back of your mind of what happened.”

Heggen says since the 2021 storm he’s removed the windows from his basement and stocked up on food where he can shelter in place inside his home in the case that inclement weather becomes severe.

People in Dawson Springs that don’t have a disaster preparation plan in place, or are unable to take shelter in their homes, can take shelter inside of Dawson Springs High School.

The school is opening its doors as a shelter to the community in case the weather is as severe as last December’s storms.

“We’re not sure we’re going to get anything that extreme but should we have any tornado warnings pop up we will be making that shelter available,” said Dawson Springs Independent School Superintendent, Leonard Whalen.

The address for the school is 317 Eli Street in Dawson Springs.

If the shelter is needed, people can enter the Dawson Springs high school through the door near the teacher parking lot.

School officials say visitors will need to sign a waiver to shelter inside of the facility.

Pets are also allowed inside of the shelter.

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