(New Rock Rapids Tornado Siren – KIWA Staff Photo)
Rock Rapids, Iowa — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced some funding for Rock Rapids.
The USDA will provide a $29,900 grant to the city of Rock Rapids toward the repair of streets that were washed out by flooding in June 2024 and fund the replacement of one of the city’s tornado sirens, which was inoperable.
Senator Chuck Grassley says the new tornado siren was a very necessary update to keep families in Rock Rapids safe. He says that in the Senate, he’ll keep working to ensure Iowans have the resources they need to stay protected during severe weather events, and to rebuild after storms strike.
Rock Rapids officials say they originally applied for FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) grants for the projects, and that these new grants from the USDA will cover the City of Rock Rapids’ 15 percent share of the total cost, as directed by FEMA.
Grassley’s office also tells us that the senator is a cosponsor of the bipartisan TORNADO Act, which would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to implement new technology and procedures that could help increase the lead times provided to the public in advance of extreme weather events.
