The siren warning system is a progressive, state-of-the-art computerized system that can be activated from the Daviess County Emergency Management Agency and/or the Central Dispatch Center.
The system is monitored daily and maintenance checks on each siren are also performed to pinpoint any malfunctions that may occur. Immediate action can then be taken to correct a malfunctioning siren.
Since the siren system is an Outdoor warning system, the activation of the sirens may not be heard inside your home. The purpose of this system is to warn those people outside to seek shelter indoors. The sirens are sounded whenever a tornado warning is issued for Daviess County.
During a tornado warning, citizens should exercise their tornado preparedness plan and take cover immediately in the best available protective area that they have identified in their home or work location. Businesses should also exercise their severe weather plan. The public should always use a portable radio or television to listen for additional instructions.
The Emergency Management Agency encourages all Daviess County citizens to prepare for their own safety by purchasing a NOAA Weather Alert Radio to assure they receive warnings of life threatening situations inside their homes, businesses, etc.
How Far Will A Siren Reach?
Each siren covers approximately a one-mile radius. The entire siren warning system covers approximately 65% of the rural Daviess County population, including approximately 95% of the population in the City of Owensboro and approximately 100% of the City of Whitesville. Parks within the City of Owensboro and Daviess County are covered with not only an audible siren but also an amplified voice alert. The park sirens are activated for not only tornado warnings but during a severe thunderstorm warning, they disseminate a voice message to evacuate and take cover.
When Are the Outdoor Warning Sirens Activated?
Each siren covers approximately a one-mile radius. The entire siren warning system covers approximately 65% of the rural Daviess County population, including approximately 95% of the population in the City of Owensboro and approximately 100% of the City of Whitesville. Parks within the City of Owensboro and Daviess County are covered with not only an audible siren but also an amplified voice alert. The park sirens are activated for not only tornado warnings but during a severe thunderstorm warning, they disseminate a voice message to evacuate and take cover.
- Tornado Warning: When a tornado warning (not a watch) is received from the National Weather Service for Daviess County or one of its cities or communities.
- TORNADO WARNING – Means a tornado has been detected by radar or is on the ground in the vicinity.
- Hazardous Materials Incident: When a public warning is necessary to advise an area of a Hazardous Materials incident or spill and the instructions to take.
- Parks System: When a severe thunderstorm warning is issued and/or the threat of dangerous lightning is expected, the warning siren voice messaging system will be activated for Owensboro and County.
- National or State Emergency: Emergency message received from the State EOC that a state-wide or national emergency exists or an actual attack on this country has been detected, and protective action should be taken immediately.
When Are They Not Sounded, And Why?
- Tornado WATCH – Conditions are right for a tornado to form in the vicinity; stay alert.
- Thunderstorm WATCH – Conditions are right for severe thunderstorms to develop; be prepared.
- Thunderstorm WARNING – A thunderstorm with hail and damaging winds will strike in the vicinity.
The Daviess County Outdoor Sirens are not used for these events because we want residents to know when they do hear the sirens, there is an active threat to our area, and they should take immediate action. Additionally, if residents hear the sirens activate for all events, they may dismiss them and continue with their normal activities when in fact they should be taking shelter.
When Are Our Sirens Tested?
The siren warning system is tested at 12:00 noon every Friday. On any Friday that weather conditions are such that a test might be confused with a real emergency, the test will not be conducted.
NEW NATIONWIDE ALERTING SYSTEM
The new nationwide alerting system is beginning. Known by various names, IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert and Warning System), CMAS (Commercial Mobile Alert System), PLAN (Personalized Local Alert Network), WARN (Warning, Alert and Response Network), and WEA (Wireless Emergency Alerts), they are all part of the same system. This new system replaces the old Emergency Alert System but to the typical user, the only change will be that emergency alerts will automatically go to all cell phones within the coverage area of towers in the warned area.
ALERTS FOR THOSE WITH HANDICAPS: The new cell phone alerting system will provide a unique sound and vibration before displaying a 90 character text message briefly describing the alert. There are also accessories available for most weather radios that provide additional alerting capability. These are not traditional text messages and there will be no charge for them.
EVERYONE NEEDS MORE THAN ONE WAY TO RECEIVE WARNINGS. Following are a number of free notification systems that can send email, text messages and voice messages in an emergency. Click on the name for the link to set up the service. These are but a few available.
TWITTER: Our Twitter page (@DCEMA1) provides additional severe weather information
