PAULDING COUNTY, GA — As cleanup efforts continue across Paulding County following Saturday night’s high-end EF1 tornado, many residents have raised concerns about the lack of tornado sirens before or during the storm. The tornado, which brought winds of up to 110 mph and remained on the ground for nearly 12 miles, left many wondering why they did not receive an audible warning.

Sheriff Ashley Henson addressed the issue, providing a straightforward explanation.

“Here is the reason they did not go off: Paulding County has no sirens,” Henson stated. “We do not have tornado sirens that operate in Paulding County, okay? The city of Dallas used to have some, but they do not anymore.”

While some communities rely on sirens for severe weather alerts, Paulding County utilizes a different approach. Henson urged residents to download the CodeRED app, which provides real-time notifications about severe weather and other emergencies.

“What we do have is CodeRED, and it’s an app that you can download,” he explained. “It will give you up-to-the-minute alerts as quickly as you can get them.”

Henson encouraged residents to download the CodeRED app, which provides real-time alerts for severe weather and other emergencies.

WSB’s Michelle Wright contributed to this story