Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Wednesday, May 28, 2008
(INDIANAPOLIS) - Warning sirens are used to alert thousands of people about dangerous weather.
Debbie Fletcher with Marion County Emergency Management says a new siren system is being phased into service. When completed, it will cover 97% of the county, excluding only Indianapolis International Airport. Then instead of issuing county-wide alerts, the system will allow sirens to be sounded only in those portions of the county affected by severe weather.
Mark Livingston is the new manager of Marion county's emergency operations center. He tests the warning sirens at 11 o'clock Friday mornings. He says if it seems the tests are taking longer than usual, it's not your imagination. Marion county's weekly siren tests currently take up to three minutes. The new system test will last only 45 seconds.
24 more sirens need to be installed and tested before the siren system is complete.
A new state law requires the emergency management divisions in all 92 Indiana counties to inventory and evaluate all local warning sirens by the end of 2009. The survey is designed to ensure that warning sirens are dependable and provide an adequate coverage area.
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