Hamilton County is beginning maintenance work on outdoor warning sirens this week in an effort to enhance the severe weather alert system. The Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency plans to evaluate all of the nearly 200 sirens in the county, from poles to internal components.
Director Nick Crossley says residents might hear brief siren soundings as the agency works on them.
“They might make the siren go off for a few seconds so they can make sure that it's both rotating as well as audible,” Crossley said.
He says maintenance and testing will not occur during severe weather, and the outdoor sirens will still be functional. Hamilton County EMHSA will provide updates on the areas being tested on social media.
The work is estimated to last through December.
A 'full condition assessment'
Crossley says the county is undertaking a “full condition assessment” of the outdoor warning siren system to get ahead of any problems.
“This is a snapshot in time that we've never done before, to really go out and understand what is the state of our system, and then that helps to drive our long-term plan for how we maintain and further develop the outdoor warning siren system,” Crossley said.
Hamilton County EMHSA does preventive maintenance on each siren at least once every three years. Crossley says that includes checking batteries, radios, and poles to identify any major issues.
The agency decided this year it was time for a more comprehensive look at the system. Crossley says the newest sirens are 15 to 20 years old.
Issues with outdoor warning sirens during severe weather, nationally
There have been recent instances of outdoor warning sirens not operating, or existing, during severe weather throughout the country.
Tornado sirens did not sound in St. Louis during the May 16 tornado because of a “human failure,” according to reporting by St. Louis Public Radio. Five people died during the storms.
Kerr County, Texas, did not have flood warning sirens during the deadly flash floods on July 4, according to NPR. Some local leaders are calling for sirens to be installed now, saying they can save lives.
Crossley says maintenance of the Hamilton County sirens has been planned since last December, when the county approved the 2025 budget. He says the county has four different ways to activate the outdoor warning siren system, and at least two emergency managers on call 24/7, ready to alert residents about severe weather.
How to receive severe weather alerts
Crossley recommends people have several ways to be notified of severe weather alerts. The outdoor warning sirens are not meant to be heard indoors. Hamilton County residents can sign up for Alert Hamilton County online to get alerts sent to their phones or email.
NOAA weather radios also can provide local alerts.
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