Peco Foods, city, and county announce emergency communication system

Peco Foods is teaming with the City of Batesville and Independence County on the addition of an emergency communication system that will utilize a warning siren when the city is in the path of a tornado.

Peco Foods, Mayor Rick Elumbaugh, and Independence County Judge Kevin Jeffery made the announcement in a media release Monday afternoon.

“The communication system will have a positive impact on team members and the community with the sound of warning sirens when Batesville is in the path of a tornado,” Peco said in the release.

“This siren will be using the National Weather Service weather information and will alert the community in the event of a tornado predicted to impact the Batesville area,” the Independence County Judge’s office said in an email. “If the polygon (path of the storm) impacts the Batesville area, the alarm will sound.”

“With the devastating tornadoes that recently ran through Wynne and Little Rock, we are reminded of the importance of preparation and active systems to alert people of dangerous weather,” said Shane Sisk, health and safety manager at Peco’s Batesville plant. “Team member safety is our top priority, and this new system will be a huge asset in helping alert our people of potentially hazardous weather conditions in our area.”

Testing of the new Emergency Communication System will be completed on Friday, April 14, 2023, between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. Monthly testing of the system will start on the first Saturday of the month at 10 a.m. beginning on May 6, 2023.

The siren is mounted at the Peco Foods production facility in Batesville.