COVINGTON, Ky. (August 14, 2017) – On Friday, August 11, the City of Covington and the Kenton County Fiscal Court were notified that the radio tower located at Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky (CHNK) in Covington had been compromised. 

A representative of Mobilecomm and employees of the Kenton County Dispatch Center discovered that a tree had fallen, damaging the tower’s guide wires and compromising the tower itself.

Structural engineers advised that the tower was not salvageable, based on observable damage and its age. After reviewing options, Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann ordered that a temporary tower be erected to minimize disruption of 911 radio communications.

Because the existing tower is compromised, and will require demolition and removal, it was viewed as prudent to move the residents of CHNK during this process. 

The demolition will be executed between approximately 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 15 and will require an evacuated safe zone of 750 to 1000 feet beginning at 12 p.m. before the controlled blast drops the tower.

Some affected households, including a portion of Rivers Breeze in Ludlow, will need to remain indoors and stay away from windows during the aforementioned time period. These individuals will be contacted directly.

In the interim, both Mobilecomm and O’Rourke, the demolition company retained, recommend maintaining a 450 foot clearance zone around the tower. That radius affects Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky and a small portion of the golf course at Devou Park. 

For further questions, please contact Kenton County Administrator Joe Shriver at Joe.Shriver@KentonCounty.org.