Negative comments on social media about weather alerts prompts discussion

Barry Fortune

EMA Director Anne Strouth briefed the Ashland County commissioners on the week’s weather events and the decisions made based on information she was given by different agencies.

“I thought for sure I’d be here this morning giving you an update on the damage assessments I was going to have to prepare due to the tornado prediction that we had,” she said. “The weather is unpredictable and we are going to see that here with the solar eclipse. Safety and planning is what is most important. I am grateful we did not get hit by a tornado.”

“We dodged a bullet,” said Commissioner Mike Welch.

“A huge bullet,” replied Strouth. “Lawrence County here in Ohio was not so fortunate. Indiana and West Virginia was hit really, really hard.”

Anne Strouth
Anne Strouth

Strouth talked about the negative comments she viewed on social media platforms in relation to the weather warnings.

“The comments and the negative comments out there on social media slammed at my office as well as commissioners, to me is unacceptable for any of our residents in Ashland County,” she said.

She went on to talk about the need for every citizen to have a plan for hazardous weather events. Once a tornado siren is heard there is often less than three minutes to prepare, she said.

“We were being directed by the National Weather Service,” Welch said . “It wasn’t something we were just doing.”

In business action commissioners:

  • Accepted a bid from Rising Son for Savannah's sidewalk project for about $109,500, to be paid for using Community Development Block Grant funds.

  • Accepted a quote from VASU Communications for $23,300 for the purchase of two MARCS radio paging systems.

  • Entered into a contract with Melway Paving for about $1.55 million for asphalt concrete paving.

  • Concurred with the findings of the Tax Incentive Review Council’s meeting. Cancellation of two enterprise zone agreements were approved.

Commissioners will meet 9 a.m. Thursday in the Commissioner’s Conference Room on the second floor of the County Office Building. The meetings are open to the public. They are livestreamed on the Ashland County Government Facebook page.

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland EMA director addresses social media bashing, weather alerts

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