City and school leaders in Republic are addressing concerns about FEMA storm shelters not opening during a tornado warning Friday night.
Logan-Rogersville School Superintendent Rockey Valentine tells KY-3 in Springfield the doors for the shelter at the upper elementary school automatically open when there’s a tornado warning, but a staff member accidentally locked the doors when closing up for the weekend.
Rogersville Mayor Jack Cole says the city-run FEMA shelter was locked on Friday because a police officer who normally opens the facility was on a call and had to call in another officer.
By the time that officer got to the shelter, which was about seven minutes, the tornado had already gone by the city.