BARTOW, FL — The City of Bartow has completed the installation of a new weather monitoring and lightning detection system designed to help protect residents and visitors at parks, athletic facilities, and other outdoor venues across the city.
The city selected Perry Weather, Inc. to provide the system through a sole-source agreement. City documents indicate the purchase includes a seven-year service period, with costs that can exceed $24,000 per fiscal year.
The system has been installed at the Civic Center Tennis Courts, Bartow Sports Complex, Bartow Golf Course, Pittas Baseball Complex, Nye Jordan Park, Mary Holland Park, and the Bartow Fire Station.
Using strobe lights, audible sirens, public address announcements, and text-to-speech technology, the system will automatically activate whenever lightning is detected within an eight-mile radius of a monitored location. The alerts are designed to warn patrons of dangerous weather conditions and advise them to seek shelter.
After 30 minutes without any additional lightning strikes in the area, the system will issue an all-clear notification, allowing activities to resume.
Patrons can also scan QR codes posted at the monitored locations to view real-time weather conditions in their vicinity and make informed decisions regarding their safety. The City of Bartow said those weather reports will also be available on the city’s website in the near future.
SOURCE: CITY OF BARTOW
