Why do town sirens go off

Outdoor warning sirens should not be your primary source of alert for tornado warnings. If you hear an outdoor warning siren, refer to one of the previously mentioned severe weather alert sources to confirm the siren activation, and seek shelter immediately as appropriate.

If you believe the siren has been activated in error based on the lack of supporting information from other severe weather alerting sources, please call option 6, and report the location of the siren. In the event of a Tornado Warning, the siren activation is a three-minute steady tone. This also includes monthly tests.

The sirens in the warning area will only sound once, at the onset of the warning, and no 'all clear' signal will be sent. Sirens are tested the first Wednesday of every month at approximately pm, March through November.

Occasionally, a siren site will communicate an error message to the controlling software. When that happens, our siren repair contractor will conduct testing to troubleshoot the issue and administer repairs as necessary. This process may necessitate a brief audible test of the siren to confirm its operational status. Because of the urgent need for this testing, the very short duration of the audible test, and the intrusive nature of a large area notification, Dane County Emergency Management does not notify area residents prior to audible testing.

Dane County Emergency Management will not conduct testing during threatening weather or after dark. Please contact Dane County Emergency Management at during normal business hours if you have questions regarding this process.

There are outdoor warning sirens in the Dane County system. The sirens are located in the most densely populated areas of the County.

As the outdoor component of the warning system, the sirens have a very important role; they are an effective means of alerting people who are outside and within range. The ranges are shown for planning and comparison purposes only. These ranges do not necessarily represent the actual audibility of any given siren. There are a number of factors that affect the range of the siren.

First of these is sound output. Very simply, some sirens are designed to be louder than others. A louder siren will have a greater range. Atmospheric conditions also affect siren range. You have questions?

The Answer Dude will find you answers. Email me at sgarrett baxterbulletin. Sixth St. You can call, too, at And remember, The Answer Dude abides. Facebook Twitter Email. Investigate TV. Gray DC Bureau. Latest Newscasts. Dismiss Weather Alerts Alerts Bar. Sirens can go off for reasons other than a tornado warning.

Published: Jun. Share on Facebook. Email This Link. Share on Twitter. Share on Pinterest. Share on LinkedIn. When thunderstorm winds exceed 70 mph, trees can be uprooted or snapped. Hail that is golf ball sized or larger can break windows. Both of these things pose a direct risk to life if people are caught outdoors. An increasing number of communities inlcuding in the Quad Cities area are incorporating these threats into their outdoor warning siren policies.

How often can I expect the outdoor warning sirens to sound for severe weather? On average, the Quad City area experiences 5 storms each year that meet the common siren guidelines. You can find information about past storms and their frequency in your community through the National Climatic Data Center.

Will the outdoor warning sirens warn me of every dangerous storm? The safest approach is to be proactive and use all of the information available to protect yourself and your family from threatening weather. Nothing can replace common sense. If a storm is approaching, the lightning alone is a threat. Who activates the outdoor warning sirens? Sirens are typically activated by city or county officials, usually a police or fire department or emergency management personnel.

Check with your city or county officials to learn more.