(June 1, 2007) -- The National Weather Service forecast office in Memphis has recognized Madison County, Tenn. as a StormReady community. Madison County has been hit by two F4 tornadoes during the past eight years. On January 17, 1999, an F3 tornado caused severe damage to the regional airport. That same day, an F4 tornado moved through southern portions of the city of Jackson (county seat with a population of 110,000) and the town of Bennis. This tornado killed six people, injured 106 people and damaged several hundred homes. On May 4, 2003, an F4 tornado moved into downtown Jackson, killing 11 people, injuring 66 others and destroying hundreds of buildings and homes.

During the recognition ceremony, Madison County Mayor Jerry Gist recalled the grim days following the May 4th tornado including the task of removing the bodies of two children from an area lake. He thanked the National Weather Service for the StormReady recognition and praised his local emergency managers for their hard work in earning this distinction.