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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on April 11, 2009 at 3:17pm

Well, we dont usually have Tornados here. However, we use our siren to alert the public of an impending emergency such as a Tsunami. We will blow the siren if there is a Tsunami approaching or is expected in a reasonable amount of time. Since we are a coastle town it is imperative to get the public up to high ground. However, if we get hit wit a earthquake just off our shoreline (which the scientists are predicting?) we will not have time to alert the public. That then comes down to public education. I would error on the safe side and alert the public as soon as I had some concern about adverse weather that may spawn a Tornado. I guess you could then look on the other side and think some might get complacent with sirens and then nothing happens. Ide still error on the safe side.....

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Permalink Reply by Oldman on April 11, 2009 at 4:05pm

While we don't have them in our district, back in the day, they were only sounded when a visual sighting was called in. With the modern Doppler radar, many places in Texas and elsewhere, are starting to sound them when there is evidence of a possible tornado in the radar image. The NWS feels that that it is better to sound a warning and have nothing to happen, than wait and not get the warning out in time.

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Permalink Reply by Mick Shelley on April 11, 2009 at 4:34pm

I know here where I live, they will sound the siren if we get hit with a tornado, or any other type of catastrophic
type of emegency. Every month they test the system to be sure it is working properly. This is something they should be doing in every commuity.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Acosta on April 11, 2009 at 7:50pm

Exactly my feeling, but many believe the opposite. Don't want to panic the public. I'm working with the NWS to see if they can enlighten my community leaders.

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Permalink Reply by Station10Capt106 on April 11, 2009 at 9:10pm

I agree that it needs to be sounded as early as possible. But there needs to be a good reason to sound it too. If it goes off too often and nothing happens then the public will get lax and start ignoring it. Kind of damned if you do and damned if you don't.

John

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Permalink Reply by Jessica Travis on April 11, 2009 at 9:18pm

we didn;t have a siren...... until a tornado blew the back off bagdad station 2... now we have one on the firehouse... never had to use it though so im not sure

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Permalink Reply by Michael Simpson on April 12, 2009 at 1:00pm

dispatch is suppose to sound them as soon as the warning goes off. doesn't always happen that way because they have to let all of us know and it can get busy but that is the way it is designed.

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Permalink Reply by Chris Sterling on April 12, 2009 at 2:21pm

Here in Crawford county, Pa. when a tornado warning is issued by NWS, county sounds a weather alert tone simalcasted to all departments in the county. At that time we respond to the station and set off the siren in tornado warning mode. After the threat has passed, or has been lifted by NWS, county will anounce to all units in stations that the warning has been lifted. At that point we sound the "all clear".

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Permalink Reply by Deanna on April 12, 2009 at 7:39pm

Our area is pretty good about sounding them when doppler shows a possibility of one. Last year we had a string of them in January an we had an F0 go through, but doppler showed nothing. I think it is kind of a hit and miss thing. We usually activate weather spotters for anything severe. In our district, we are the storm siren, we have to go and alert residents, and hope they a paying attention to the radio or news.

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Permalink Reply by Trainer on April 13, 2009 at 7:12am

Once the threat has been determined, spotters are sent out; since tornados follow a known path we listen or communicate with our adjoining dept/district if one is spotted we blow or if the NWS sees the signs on Doppler radar it’s also blown. Our siren can be activated locally or by dispatch 15 miles away. To my knowledge we have been hit twice, 1957 and 1963, but have had a lot of micro bursts and downdrafts which is often confused with tornados.

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