How a community responds when a natural disaster approaches is an integral piece of any community. To ensure the safety of its community, the Taylorville Fire Department along with the Christian County Emergency Management Agency is staying prepared with updated equipment and communication tactics.

Jeff Stoner has been the Director of the EMA for three years. Dealing with many storms and some devastating disasters, Stoner knows the proper actions and materials needed for a quick response to danger.

The City of Taylorville is a member of Hyper-Reach, an emergency notification system that will notify one of bad weather even when they are not in the area. These messages will reach landlines and cell phones that are on their database.

Jeff Stoner doubles as a Taylorville fireman when he is not keeping an eye on the sky. Stoner talks about the equipment the department has to identify and alert severe weather patterns. Stoner uses a mobile weather monitoring system to relay alerts back to the department. He states that this equipment is a necessity and the department is always looking for more to upgrade.

Stoner describes a time when severe weather made communications difficult, as many frequencies were clogging up the analog system. Taylorville and many other communities have made the switch to digital systems in order to avoid this problem.

Christian County is in good hands with fast-acting first responders like Jeff Stoner and the Emergency Management Agency. As equipment and communication upgrades persist, Christian County will be up to date on all information that is pertinent.

Jeff Stoner appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.