milkman
EF0
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -
The National Weather Service is teaming with Joplin, Springfield-Greene County, Branson and broadcasters to standardize the activation of outdoor warning sirens. They want to ensure residents who live in the Ozarks understand exactly what it means when the sirens go off.
Almost every county and city in Missouri has a different standard for setting off outdoor sirens. Following the tornadoes in Joplin in May 2011 and in Branson in February 2012, broadcasters and emergency management officials came to realize that consistent guidelines are needed for outdoor warning sirens.
The National Weather Service, representatives of broadcasters, and several leaders of Offices of Emergency Management teamed up to come up with standardized guidelines as part of the Ozarks Integrated Warning Team.
The five members of the IWT committee include: Meteorologist Doug Cramer with the National Weather Service in Springfield; Chet Hunter with the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Managemen;, Branson Fire Chief Ted Martin; Keith Stammer with the Joplin Office of Emergency Management; and KSPR-TV chief meteorologist Kevin Lighty.
Starting March 1, the three areas mentioned above, and other cities and counties who have now joined them, will have the same procedures for setting off sirens in storms. That way, residents who travel from area to area will know the warnings are the same, wherever they are.
Sirens in these areas will be activated when a tornado warning is issued in that area; or if a trained spotter reports rotation, a funnel cloud or tornado in the area, tracking toward the area. The sirens will also sound when the NWS issues a thunderstorm warning producing life threatening winds; or if a trained spotter reports those same winds in or approaching the area where the sirens are.
All outdoor warning sirens in the area will sound a steady tone for three minutes. They will then “rest” for three minutes. This will continue until the warning is over.
The National Weather Service said the three-minute cycle is for mechanical reasons. After three minutes of operation, the electrical components of the sirens begin to heat up, and risk burning out completely. The three-minute period of silence is essentially a cool-down period so the devices don't burn up.
An all-clear will not be sounded. Residents should listen to their NOAA Weather Radio or local broadcasters for weather information.
When the sirens in your area are activated, you should move inside a sturdy building and seek shelter in an area as low and interior as possible. It’s also important to use a NOAA weather radio and listen to broadcasters for updates on a storm.
The same new procedures will also be used in testing the sirens. Each siren will be tested on the second Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. They will be activated for three minutes.
If there is 100 percent cloud cover, overcast skies, predicted thunderstorms, or freezing weather, the sirens will not be tested. If the sirens aren’t tested on the regular monthly test date and time, there will be no make-up test that month.
The sirens could also be tested after maintenance or repairs, but only if the city administration has been notified and local broadcasters are notified 12-24 hours in advance.
Sirens may be activated with approval from the Emergency Management Director or upon request of the National Weather Service representing that county.
The NWS and counties participating in the standard siren operating procedures hope other counties and towns in Missouri will join in the effort.
“It’s important every county and every city standardize their procedures as part of this operation,” said Cramer. “I continue to be amazed at the teamwork from these cities and counties as they work to protect the lives of people in the Ozarks."
This seems interesting. I feel this can cause confusion for the population. Tonight in Joplin(4/2/15) there was a tornado threat and they sounded the siren in 3 minute successions like this and apparently residence thought there were three different tornadoes.
The National Weather Service is teaming with Joplin, Springfield-Greene County, Branson and broadcasters to standardize the activation of outdoor warning sirens. They want to ensure residents who live in the Ozarks understand exactly what it means when the sirens go off.
Almost every county and city in Missouri has a different standard for setting off outdoor sirens. Following the tornadoes in Joplin in May 2011 and in Branson in February 2012, broadcasters and emergency management officials came to realize that consistent guidelines are needed for outdoor warning sirens.
The National Weather Service, representatives of broadcasters, and several leaders of Offices of Emergency Management teamed up to come up with standardized guidelines as part of the Ozarks Integrated Warning Team.
The five members of the IWT committee include: Meteorologist Doug Cramer with the National Weather Service in Springfield; Chet Hunter with the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Managemen;, Branson Fire Chief Ted Martin; Keith Stammer with the Joplin Office of Emergency Management; and KSPR-TV chief meteorologist Kevin Lighty.
Starting March 1, the three areas mentioned above, and other cities and counties who have now joined them, will have the same procedures for setting off sirens in storms. That way, residents who travel from area to area will know the warnings are the same, wherever they are.
Sirens in these areas will be activated when a tornado warning is issued in that area; or if a trained spotter reports rotation, a funnel cloud or tornado in the area, tracking toward the area. The sirens will also sound when the NWS issues a thunderstorm warning producing life threatening winds; or if a trained spotter reports those same winds in or approaching the area where the sirens are.
All outdoor warning sirens in the area will sound a steady tone for three minutes. They will then “rest” for three minutes. This will continue until the warning is over.
The National Weather Service said the three-minute cycle is for mechanical reasons. After three minutes of operation, the electrical components of the sirens begin to heat up, and risk burning out completely. The three-minute period of silence is essentially a cool-down period so the devices don't burn up.
An all-clear will not be sounded. Residents should listen to their NOAA Weather Radio or local broadcasters for weather information.
When the sirens in your area are activated, you should move inside a sturdy building and seek shelter in an area as low and interior as possible. It’s also important to use a NOAA weather radio and listen to broadcasters for updates on a storm.
The same new procedures will also be used in testing the sirens. Each siren will be tested on the second Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. They will be activated for three minutes.
If there is 100 percent cloud cover, overcast skies, predicted thunderstorms, or freezing weather, the sirens will not be tested. If the sirens aren’t tested on the regular monthly test date and time, there will be no make-up test that month.
The sirens could also be tested after maintenance or repairs, but only if the city administration has been notified and local broadcasters are notified 12-24 hours in advance.
Sirens may be activated with approval from the Emergency Management Director or upon request of the National Weather Service representing that county.
The NWS and counties participating in the standard siren operating procedures hope other counties and towns in Missouri will join in the effort.
“It’s important every county and every city standardize their procedures as part of this operation,” said Cramer. “I continue to be amazed at the teamwork from these cities and counties as they work to protect the lives of people in the Ozarks."
This seems interesting. I feel this can cause confusion for the population. Tonight in Joplin(4/2/15) there was a tornado threat and they sounded the siren in 3 minute successions like this and apparently residence thought there were three different tornadoes.
That was $300,000 more than they got the previous year...
