Reporter: Emily Curl

Two Cities in Barrow County are trying to figure out what is the best way to keep citizens in their county safe in the event of severe weather. The question is- what’s the best way?

The system in place now is sirens- and there are eleven that stretch between Winder and Auburn. But Barrow County could be making the switch to a new system called Nexel, that would allow people to receive alerts via phone and email.

According to the Winder Fire Chief, Matt Whiting, the sirens are outdated and the expensive nature  to repair the system. They are still up in the air about what they will be doing in the near future.

The cost to repair one siren is around $10,000. The new system would be free.

But not everyone agrees that this is the best system for the city. The manager at TechWorx, Shawn Hancock, says that it’s good to have both systems in place. The sirens are useful for outdoors and public alerts, but the phone alerts you anywhere- even when you’re not at your house.

It’s simple: public safety is the main concern for residents and officials.

Madison County has already made the switch and currently uses both systems.