Siren System

[Coyote]

Monthly Tests of Outdoor Warning Siren System in Sarpy County Moving to Wednesdays

Beginning in March, regularly scheduled tests of the outdoor warning siren system in Sarpy County will be conducted on the first Wednesday of every month at 11 a.m. The first test of 2023 is scheduled for Wednesday, March 1, at 11 a.m.

[Coyote]

Douglas County siren tests begin Wednesday, run through October

Douglas County severe weather sirens will start being tested monthly starting Wednesday, March 1 running through October, according to a press release from Douglas County Board of Commissioners.

The tests will take place monthly at 11:00 a.m. on the following dates:

March 1
April 5
May 3
June 7
July 5
August 2
September 6
October 4

[skinzfan23]

I was wondering if they moved the testing dates

[Coyote]

Douglas County conducts first siren test of season

Douglas and Sarpy Counties conducted the first tornado siren test of the season Wednesday.

[mrsticka]

Why not Saturday at 11:00 AM?

[bigredmed1]

Why not Saturday at 11:00 AM?

So, the county pays overtime to the staff that fixes any broken siren after monitoring them? That is why Wed was chosen. Cheapest cost of labor compared to existing work load.

[mrsticka]

I just asked because the city used to test the sirens on the first Saturday of the month at 11:00 AM.

[Coyote]

6 First Alert Storm Week: Outdoor warning sirens



Many of us are familiar with that distinctive sound of an outdoor warning siren. Emergency managers say now is the time to plan ahead and know specifically what you are going to do if you get caught in a storm. The wail of a siren means if you are outside beware of impending danger from threatening weather and seek shelter. While the sirens can generally be heard for about one mile, emergency managers stress that they are meant for people who are outdoors. In Douglas County there are 124 of them, from places like 17th near Jackson in downtown Omaha to locations where lots of people come together, such as Memorial Park.

[Coyote]

Sarpy County voting to add additional early warning sirens

SARPY COUNTY, Neb. — The Sarpy County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote on a resolution Tuesday that, if passed, would add six additional early warning sirens to the county. Six new sirens would bring the county's total to 75. Right now Sarpy County has 70 but a project focused on upgrading and renovating the existing sirens will remove two old sirens and put one in its place. The county has a large number of sirens in the north and northeast but a lack of sirens in the west and southwest. It's a void District 1 Commissioner Don Kelly noticed and went to the board with.

"If we're going to upgrade our system, let's put some sirens out where the people can hear them that are using our recreational areas in the summer," Kelly said. The areas gaining a siren are Vencil's Island, Beacon View and Lake Linoma, Meadow Oaks Sanitary & Improvement District #79, Villa Springs, Lake Olivo and Merrill Mission Estates Sanitary & Improvement District #130. The project has a price tag of $271,292. It will be funded through the county's ARPA funds. The resolution builds on a resolution put in front of the board in late February and early March, where the county asked for $1 million to upgrade and replace the existing sirens.

[Coyote]

Warning siren testing to start Wednesday ahead of severe weather season

Severe weather warning siren testing is back, starting Wednesday. The monthly testing will occur on the first Wednesday of each month at 11 a.m. throughout the severe weather season. Being prepared before severe weather strikes is key, as well as knowing what to do to keep you and your family safe when it does.

[Coyote]

HEADS UP:
Outdoor warning sirens will sound Wednesday at 10 am



If you hear the outdoor warning sirens at 10 am Wednesday, do not be alarmed, there is no severe weather expected. Instead, they are being activated as part of the annual statewide tornado drill during severe weather awareness week. The sirens will sound across Nebraska and Iowa at 10 am and last several minutes.

In addition, your weather radios will also go off. Therefore, it is a good time to check your batteries and see if your weather radio is correctly calibrated Although your phone will NOT go off during the test, it will during a real tornado warning. It is a good idea to at least check to see if you have Wireless Emergency Alerts enabled so you can receive any warning.