Sheriff's department offering web links to severe weather info

A tornado forms near Crazy Horse, South Dakota, during the summer of 2013, and is captured on film by Shannon (Brown) Bird of Hastings, a native of McCook. A new tornado alert program offered by the American Red Cross, through the Red Willow County Sheriff's Department's website, will warn area residents of severe summer weather of similar magnitude. (Photo courtesy Shannon (Brown) Bird)

McCOOK, Nebraska -- It's spring time on the plains, and through the summer, it's tornado season. And that first super-heated, humid day just right for spawning a tornado isn't far away.

To help protect Red Willow County residents and give them a chance to prepare themselves for the worst summer weather, the sheriff's department is offering on its website a link to tornado preparedness guidelines and a tornado alert system available for smart phones from the American Red Cross.

Deputy Sgt. Steve Kotschwar tells people to go to rwcso.org and click on the "American Red Cross" and red tornado icons on the right side of the page. The free "Tornado App" promises "Help is in your hand." The navigation menu walks a user through the process to set up a tornado alert.

According to the app introduction, the tornado app lets a user monitor any number of locations for warnings and alerts. It can have a phone emit an alarm sound when the user is in an area with a tornado warning.

It can also customize an "I'm Safe" notification sharable with friends and family on social media, text and e-mail.

Sgt. Kotschwar said the Red Cross alert can be used as a primary alert, or it can be used in addition to other alert systems, such as those offered by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

Kotschwar said it was the idea of the sheriff's department's IT specialist (Rob Henry of Commercial Engineering Services in downtown McCook) to offer the American Red Cross tornado app on the sheriff's website. Kotschwar said that he and Sheriff Gene Mahon were both happy to make available to county residents the added level of weather protection.

The tornado app is available in English and Spanish.

For more information on the tornado app and other services offered by the sheriff's department, go to the sheriff's website at rwcso.org.