03/04/2026
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THUNDER PLAN INITIATIVE
Joint Statement from Pulaski County Judge Executive Marshall Todd and Pulaski County Emergency Management Director Chris Mason
We learned a lot from last year’s tornado and the most recent ice storm we experienced here in Pulaski County. One of those lessons was to have accessible storm shelters readily available for our citizens when they don’t feel safe where they are. As we work on providing permanent storm shelters in each quadrant of our county, we recognize that there are already facilities available to us that can provide a much better option to folks who may be in a mobile home or a house that doesn’t have a basement. As the 2026 severe weather season quickly approaches, we are working with our area First Responders and community centers to make sure shelter is available. Tornado drills were and still are a regular part of school life for our children. The inner hallways of school buildings provide a much better option than a mobile home or nothing at all. Our community centers at Woodstock in the northern part of the county and White Lily in the eastern part of the county will be available and are old school buildings that have inner hallways that, just like those tornado drills when we were kids, provide better options than nothing at all in the path of a storm. School buildings generally provide high protection during tornadoes, often safer than homes, due to reinforced construction (steel frame, brick, concrete) and established, practiced safety protocols. The safest areas are interior, lowest-level rooms, such as restrooms or hallways, away from windows. As a central Pulaski County location, we also have the Pulaski County Courthouse located at 100 North Main Street which can be used should a Tornado Watch be issued. And we are very thankful that the City of Ferguson has made available their new state-of-the-art City Hall. These locations can and will be coordinated with area churches with basements, but these are the four main locations that we know we will have open consistently through this year’s tornado season. If your church or organization would like to be added to our list of consistent and reliable locations for citizens to take shelter in the storm during a Tornado Watch, please message our Communications Director at [email protected]. Also include if your facility is ADA compliant. This plan, in conjunction with our new American Red Cross Office at the Pulaski County Courthouse, helps us stand ready against the next storm. We will be posting about our CodeRed replacement, Smart911, and how you can sign up for it in the coming days.
Continue to be vigilant during this heightened season of extreme weather. Remember that this is a preliminary list and will be added to as we go throughout the season. For further guidance you can always call the Pulaski County Judge Executive’s Office at (606)678-4853. Have as many options available to you to be informed as possible. Follow Kentucky Emergency Management and the U.S. National Weather Service in Jackson, Kentucky on Facebook. Always have an escape plan. We found out last year that we are much better when we all work together. We will continue to do that not just during this season, but for all seasons. May God Bless you all and May God continue to Bless Pulaski County.
