Since 2006, seven people have been killed in Mississippi as a result of lightning. More than 300 people have died due to lightning in the United States during that time period.

According to the National Weather Service, there have been nine fatal lightning deaths in the United States in 2016, including two in Mississippi.

On April 27, a Mantachie man was killed after being struck by lightning.

Tim Edge, 37, was riding horses with his father when lightning struck him and his horse, according to Itawamba County Coroner Sheila Summerford.

Summerford said Edge’s father had gone into the barn while Edge stayed outside.

With the addition of 10 new severe weather sirens being installed, Lafayette County will have 27 sirens in the severe weather system.

Shaw said the 10 new sirens that are currently being installed are being paid through a FEMA mitigation grant.

He added that the tornado sirens are just one means by which residents are warned of severe weather.

“We use a variety of methods to warn the public of emergency situations,” Shaw said. “Sirens are activated when the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning that includes all or part of Lafayette County. We try to activate only the sirens located in the areas that are covered by the warning.”

Shaw said the sirens have a limited range and there are not enough sirens to warn everyone, so the Lafayette County EMA also utilizes the CodeRed system, “which is a mass notification service that Lafayette County subscribes to and is available to anyone in the county for free.”

According to Shaw, with the CodeRed system, you can receive a phone call, text message or email, or all three if you choose, when a warning is issued, whether it is a tornado warning, severe thunderstorm warning or flash flood warning.

Visit www.LafayetteMS.com to register for the free alert system.

want more information?

For more information about severe weather alerts or to register for the CodeRed warnings, visit www.LafayetteMS.com or call the county EMA office at 662-234-3879 or 662-

severe weather sirens

Here is the list of locations for new severe weather sirens that are being installed:

1) 374 CR 369 Near Pleasant Ridge Road

2) CR 217 @ 238 In the Denmark area

3) CR 423 @ CR 461  In the Deer Run area

4)  310 Hwy 30 East Near Eastwind, Timber Lake and Forest Ridge

5) CR 504 @ CR 511 In the Harmontown area

6) 40 CR 422 In the Pine Flat area

7) Rock Springs Road in the Lakes subdivision

8) CR 160 @ 105 In the West Springhill area

9) 08 CR 140 In the College Hill Heights area

10) CR 401 @ CR 418 Near Yocona Ridge

county storm shelters

Storm shelters are available to the public throughout Lafayette County.

The following list includes shelters that are managed by Lafayette County. Additional shelters are available in the City of Oxford.  The University of Mississippi also has shelters and designated shelter areas.

LCFD 9 65 CR 335 (Taylor)

LCFD 15 4 CR 109 (HWY 6 West)

LCFD Central Station 50 CR 1032 (Across from NorthPoint)

Gordon Comm. Center 37 CR 115 (South of Abbeville)

LCFD 7 (2 Sets) 44 Business South (Abbeville)

Taylor Comm. Center 78 CR 338 (Taylor)

New El Bethel Church 20 CR 488 (near Tula)

LCFD 1 599 Hwy 310 (Harmontown)

LCFD 3 22 CR 369 (near Hwy 7 & 9W)

LCFD 4 8 CR 130 (College Hill)

LCFD 5 826 Hwy 334 (Yocona)

LCFD 6 153 CR 436 (Tula)

LCFD 11 11 CR 287 (Lafayette Springs)

LCFD 12 1301 Hwy 30 East (Philadelphia)

LCFD 14 31 CR 430 (Paris)

LCFD 16 823 CR 313 (Union West)

(Note: LCFD = Lafayette County Fire Department)