JEFFERSON CITY, MO. -- Tornado watches were in effect Friday and there's been warnings and watches issued across the state over the past few weeks.
Thursday night a severe storm ripped through the southwest killing two elderly sisters when a tornado struck in Tushka, Oklahoma.
The twister destroyed at least five school buildings in the town.
High winds associated with the same storm system killed four people in central and western Arkansas early Friday.
But how prepared is Mid-Missouri for similar weather?
Outdoor emergency sirens are scattered throughout Cole County.
In all, there are 16.
Those sirens were put into place between 1969 and '89.
Cole County's emergency management director Bill Farr said the system is outdated.
"What we're looking at and several counties throughout are looking at is some of the newer type systems where you can actually receive a text message alert on your cell phone, record a message on your land line in your home or you could get an email," Farr said.
Technology has made drastic improvements for the emergency alert systems over the years.
"This is something that would go along with the outdoor sirens, not to take them out of effect because they do have a purpose," Farr said.
Outdoor sirens are meant to do just that, warn people who are outside to take cover, so if you're indoors there's no guarantee you'll hear them.
"It was labeled as outdoor because that was the intent of the siren, to notify you if you're in an outdoor location to seek cover and shelter," Farr said.
Residents KRCG talked to say they can hear the sirens loud and clear from their homes.
"I can hear them, they're pretty annoying, but obviously they serve a purpose and i respect that," Ben Johnston said.
Johnston said he'd prefer to be alerted about severe weather a different way.
"if they had a warning on the TV that alerted me, that would actually almost be more helpful to me than hearing some siren because I've got sirens going by my house at all times," Johnston said.
But Dale Vaughn said he appreciates the fact that he can hear the sirens inside.
"At night if you're sleeping, obviously you're going to be inside so you wanna be able to hear them when you're inside so hopefully they're loud enough to where they'll wake you up and you can hear them," Vaughn said.
Since the devices aren't made to wake you while you sleep, Farr recommends you have a back up plan.
"Any public radio, public television, weather alert radios that you can buy anywhere now is something for the inside of the home that's crucial," Farr said.
Emergency responders say, if you hear a siren or suspect dangerous weather, turn on the TV or radio and check to see if it's a test or actual severe weather.
Emergency officials said weather radios are more reliable than sirens and can provide much more information about the severity and path of the storm.
The radios can be left on and will sound when an alert is issued even in the middle of the night.
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