Our thoughts and prayers are with the citizens of Matador as they deal with the loss and destruction of Wednesday’s tornado.
Additionally, the News-Press would like to thank all of the first responders who assisted with offering aid to the Matador community.
Covering news and being able to sit down with our first responders within the county, I’ve learned a lot about their hearts and how willing they are to extend a helping hand in crisis.
Very seldom do our first responders get to travel on the job for positive and light-hearted reasons. These individuals who answer the call for aid don’t think twice about their decision and are willing to do what it takes to help neighbors.
As a community, we have experienced that helping hand in the past and for all of our responding agencies willing to jump up at a moments notice to help those in need is incredible.
Now in the heart of storm season, I think we can see a lot of these severe storms form in an isolated fashion and as a result communities are hit hard by the weather.
From Perryton to Matador, our staff and I hope those communities can recover quickly and pick up the pieces of their lives without enduring anymore hardship.
The tornado that presented itself in Hockley last year is a firm reminder to a lot of us that severe storms can cause damage with a single change in wind direction and it can become a scary situation.
I urge all of our community members to stay prepared and ready in the case of emergency. Knowing what to do and where to go in the time of crisis can be the difference between life and death.
We’ve have remained fortunate that grass fires have not been a large concern of ours across Hockley and Cochran recently, but those types of dangers can come up at any time.
We have a handful of great responding agencies who constantly give updates during a time of concern or crisis on Facebook and social media which is a great way to stay connected for spontaneous events.
Additionally, we have an emergency notification system that shares critical information during storms, fires, and other events. We may share the sign up process on a regular basis, but it is crucial for community members to be aware of dire circumstances when those times arise. Safety for everyone is an important aspect of life and the News-Press will do what we can to encourage and help community members put their best foot forward with the tools that are available to remain safe.