Despite current CDC guidelines and statewide restrictions due to the coronavirus, Hennessey officials assure citizens they’ll have shelters open this storm season.

“If we are in imminent threat of a tornado the shelter will be opened when the sirens sound,” said Hennessey Mayor Bert Gritz.

“I feel like the threat of injury from an impending tornado outweighs the threat of the virus,” he said. “This is one of those situations where we have to weigh the risks.”

The above-ground reinforced shelter is south of the public library in the 600 block of South Main Street and will hold between 150- 200 people.

“There is no way we’d be able to ‘social distance’ in there,” he said, “but we would ask people to wear masks.”

As usual, no animals are allowed inside the shelter, Gritz said.

The town started getting funds together for the shelter in late 2006 and it was first used Saturday, May 24, 2008, during a tornado warning.

That tornado bypassed Hennessey, but hit a Seaboard Food operation 10 miles west of Hennessey.

It reportedly destroyed five of eight pig farm farrowing barns and damages were more than $2 million.

Eagle Event Center Shelter

Hennessey’s newest storm shelter is in the school’s new Eagle Event Center.

“But it isn’t ready yet,” said HPS Superintendent Dr. Mike Woods because it hasn’t been inspected yet.

“We are working with the construction manager and architect to ensure the doors are installed and functioning correctly,” he told The Times & Free Press.

“We are missing some door hardware that has to be installed before we can have the shelter inspected, so we’re not ready to serve as a shelter right now.”