“I’m more than grateful for the great experience that we’ve had with Perry Weather, and definitely would recommend it to whoever is suggesting to implement something similar.”
Tyler Agee, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation, Duncanville, TX
Welcome to Armstrong Park, Duncanville’s summer hotspot
Kidsville at Armstrong Park got its start as the nation’s largest community-built playground, an all-wood playground put together solely by community volunteers in the late ’80s.
Over four decades later, the city invested in a splinter-free makeover that’s now used from sun up to sun down.
Just steps away from the Kidsville playground rests a new splash pad that draws up to 400 visitors daily.
On a peak day, especially Independence Day fireworks or on Christmas, visitors to the park rockets past 10,000, turning the entire park into a small town of its own.
With so many people visiting Duncanville’s Armstrong Park, it was essential to have a system in place to warn the city staff and visitors of any incoming severe weather.
When clouds gather, manual shutdowns fall short
In Texas, storm cells are known to form and sweep into the area within minutes—and in Duncanville’s case—turn the splash pad into a high-risk zone of standing water.
To protect visitors without overburdening staff, Duncanville installed Perry Weather’s on-site lightning detection, audible sirens, and the StormBridge smart relay system.
“We want everyone to enjoy the splash pad, but we also want them to be safe, especially from lightning.”
Tyler Agee, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation, Duncanville, TX
With StormBridge, the splash pad now automatically shuts off with no staff intervention required.
For Duncanville’s Splashville, the water shuts off instantly when lightning is detected within 10 miles. That means no guessing, no warnings ignored and no staff needed to monitor the weather and warn everyone across the park.
“If the system shuts off, there’s no way that you can be in the water. We’re taking the option out of their hands and making sure that they’re safe.”
Tyler Agee, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation, Duncanville, TX
Citywide lightning detection & alerts for athletic fields
When lightning is detected, messages are automatically sent out to various associations and staff so that everyone is kept on the same page.
The Perry Weather platform allows for customizable alert settings, enabling the city to:
- Set specific lightning detection radii at 5, 10, or 15 miles to trigger alerts or warning sirens at separate distances
- Automatically send notifications via text, email, or push notifications to subscribed athletic associations and staff, informing them of field closures or delays.
- Implement lightning delay countdown timers and all-clear notifications, ensuring activities resume only when it’s safe.
This automation reduces the workload on staff and ensures consistent adherence to safety protocols across all city parks and athletic facilities.
Perry Weather, a trusted partner in safety
“The whole process has been easy,” Tyler said. “From install to integration, the Perry Weather team has been consistent, helpful, and responsive.”
Perry Weather helps Duncanville deliver on its promise of safe, accessible parks without adding complexity to staff operations. With real-time detection and automated actions, the system brings peace of mind to both the staff running the parks and the families enjoying them.
