Wednesday, June 19, 2013

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Safety concerns keeps tornado shelters out of Albany
Posted: 02.12.2013 at 10:35 AM
Jessica Fairley

Jessica Fairley is a reporter with FOX 31 News

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A tornado passes through Hattiesburg, Mississippi.  / Scott Speed
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ALBANY, GA. --

A tornado moved through Hattiesburg, Mississippi this past weekend causing what officials call major damage.

For FOX 31's Facebook story of the day, people wanted to know whether or not Albany or Dougherty County has any public tornado shelters in case of emergency.

According to those with the Albany Fire Department, there aren't shelters in our area for multiple reasons.

Officials say it would be almost impossible to have enough shelters to accommodate everyone within the city.

The other issue is safety.

Albany's Fire Chief James Carswell says it can be more dangerous to leave your home to go to a shelter since tornado warning only come 15 to 20 minutes in advance.

“Find a secure place, like a closet or maybe a bathroom or interior bathroom because bathrooms tend to be a little more structurally sound than the rest of the house,” said Chief James Carswell, Albany Police Department.

He says it's best to have an emergency plan in place before disaster strikes. 

Stay connected to MySouthWestGA.com as stories develop and the FOX 31 Newscast at 10 PM. Visit us on Facebook and Twitter to join in on the conversation and connect with FOX 31!
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