MOUNT AIRY, MD — Residents in Mount Airy are raising money for two storm sirens after a deadly flash flood claimed 13-year-old Mason Kearns last July. The proposed system is meant to warn neighbors quickly when severe weather, tornadoes or flooding threaten the area. Town leaders have already pledged support for the project while they wait on grant funding. Organizers say the effort is also about making sure residents with poor cell service still get a clear warning in time.
Project Gains Momentum
Joshua Marks, a Mount Airy resident, said he created a nonprofit with the Carroll County Community Foundation to help finance the sirens while the town seeks outside funding. The project is expected to cost about $100,000, though organizers hope to lower that to roughly $85,000. Marks said about $12,000 has already been pledged, and his fundraising goal is $50,000, with the town expected to cover the rest. Donations to the project are tax deductible for individuals and businesses.
The plan calls for two rotating sirens, one at each end of town, to serve as a broad alert for severe thunderstorms, tornadoes and flash flooding. Marks said the idea gained urgency after the 2018 tornado in Mount Airy and again after deadly flooding in Central Texas last year. He said the sirens would help in rural parts of town where not everyone reliably receives phone alerts. Local officials said the money would be included in the next budget, and several grant requests are still pending.
How The System Would Work
Officials say the sirens would act as a catch-all warning for people who may not hear or receive alerts through cellphones. Marks described the system as a simple signal that means residents should head indoors immediately. He said the town’s geography and limited cell coverage make a backup warning especially important. The town is still waiting for technical specifications before setting an installation schedule, but leaders hope to have more details in September.
The project would use a combination of town funds, donations raised by the Storm Siren Task Force, and money from the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and the Mount Airy Disaster Relief Fund. Local officials also said the town has applied for grant funding. The siren proposal has drawn comparisons to Ellicott City, which already has a similar warning system in place. For supporters, the goal is not only to improve response time, but to reduce the chance that a sudden storm catches families outdoors without notice.
Family Pushes For Change
In the aftermath of Mason Kearns’ death, his family pushed for Mason’s Law, which requires drainage pipes in Maryland to be marked, guarded or otherwise made safer. The General Assembly passed the measure this year, and it takes effect Oct. 1. State Sen. Karen Lewis Young said the law requires Standard Yard Inlets, Raised Grate Yard Inlets or Trash Rack Grating on drainage pipes 12 inches or larger. She said the options were chosen because they are low-cost ways to reduce drowning hazards and help municipalities choose what fits each drain.
The town has also taken steps on its own, including grating off pipes in Mount Airy. Doug Alexander, a spokesperson for the Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company, said crews inspected about 2,000 pipes and found 49 that needed some kind of remediation. Kearns’ aunt, Allison Eggleston, said guidance alone is not enough and that making the standards law was important. Young said in a statement that she was proud the legislation passed in Mason’s honor and hoped it would prevent similar tragedies.
Remembering Mason Kearns
First responders faced deep water and a fast-moving rescue scene when they arrived after the July 31, 2025, flood. Water from a large retention pond overflowed and swept Kearns into an uncovered drainpipe near the 200 block of Watersville Road, where he had been playing with his brother. Firefighters managed to grab hold of him, but the force of the rushing water kept them from pulling him free. Crews pumped out water and recovered him, but he did not survive.
Family members have described Mason as a lively boy who loved skateboarding and being outside. His grandmother, Bonnie Errico, said he loved animals and had a big personality. Eggleston said he would often cheer himself up by taking his skateboard, calling a friend and heading outdoors. His family’s grief has become part of the public push for both the siren project and the new drainage law, with supporters saying they want the town and the state to learn from what happened.
