Some area sirens failed during Monday’s storms
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JANESVILLE — They work great if you’re outside.
And awake.
And within earshot.
And if they’re working.
In Waukesha County on Monday night, the weather warning sirens didn’t work in Eagle, where a tornado destroyed six homes.
And although no tornadoes were reported in Rock County on Monday night, the two sirens in Milton failed to sound, said Phil Boutwell, assistant Rock County administrator.
A siren in Footville also failed.
The county fixed all three on Tuesday.
Boutwell said he wasn’t sure why the three sirens failed. The sirens are subject to lightning strikes, nesting squirrels and insect goo, Boutwell said.
Sirens are not a perfect method of severe weather communication, but they are an easy way to reach thousands of people in an instant, Boutwell said.
“Hearing that siren does put people at attention,” Boutwell said. “It has an impact on them.”
The sirens are tested monthly. Even so, they sometimes fail during storm events, Boutwell said.
“It’s not a perfect system,” Boutwell said. “But it’s really what the public wanted.”
When the National Weather Service declares a tornado warning in Rock County, the Rock County Communications Center sounds the alarm.
Well, 44 alarms.
No matter where in the county the severe weather is located, the communications center sets off all 44 sirens in the county at one time, Boutwell said.
The sirens are meant to warn people who are outdoors to seek shelter. Often, the sirens can’t be heard from more than a half-mile away or if people are indoors, Boutwell said.
While the sirens can be sounded individually, it’s against county policy to do so, he said.
It takes too long to sound individual sirens, Boutwell said.
A storm could shift faster than communications workers could change sirens, he said.
“It’s just too difficult a task to do in a short period of time,” Boutwell said about sounding individual sirens. “It’s pretty inexact, anyway.”
The policy was set on the recommendation of an ad hoc county committee formed in 2002.
Between 2004 and 2007, the county replaced upgraded sirens and expanded coverage of the outdoor warning system.
SOUND THE ALARM
Rock County operates 44 sirens to warn people to take shelter in severe weather.
But not everyone lives within earshot of a warning siren, and they can’t always be heard indoors.
Most news sources broadcast severe weather information as soon as it’s available.
“Obviously we’re on the air, on television, during severe weather,” said Colin Benedict, news director for WISC-TV Channel 3 in Madison.
Increasingly, viewers are interested in getting e-mails or texts about severe weather on mobile devices, Benedict said. Viewers may sign up for the service at Channel3000.com, he said.
If you prefer public sources, try the National Weather Service website, weather.gov. E-mailed alerts are available.
If you don’t mind paying for severe weather warnings, you might consider buying a weather radio. A tone broadcast by the National Weather Service activates the radios and can wake people who are asleep during a night alert.
Home and Pro Electronics on Holiday Drive in Janesville sells the radios for $27.99.
Jun 25, 2010 at 10:01 p.m.
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Blue21 is assuming everyone is able to see and predict bad weather. What if you're blind? Or it's dark outside? Or sleeping? Or working in a windowless office or interior room?
This is like saying people shouldn't wear seatbelts and just be responsible for their own safety.
Jun 25, 2010 at 8:55 p.m.
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There are more than 2 sirens in Milton.
Jun 25, 2010 at 3:25 p.m.
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Callita - "the two sirens in Milton failed to sound, said Phil Boutwell, assistant Rock County administrator."
.
It says "THE TWO" sirens. Please check.
Jun 25, 2010 at 2:05 p.m.
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"hear"
Jun 25, 2010 at 1:49 p.m.
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Swisschick, it didn't say ALL of Milton failed to go off, it said "two". You obviously could here one of the working units.
Jun 25, 2010 at 1:21 p.m.
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Lot of the problem not mentioned in this article is HUMAN ERROR in communication. A lot of times the siren DOES go off, and then a few people in the area will report that they never heard them go off.
Jun 25, 2010 at 12:22 p.m.
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I'd rather have the sirens than not, problems notwithstanding. If I'm outside, on the porch or in the yard, I ainna watchin' or listenin' to electronics.
When I hear a warning siren, first thing I do is check my electronics inside, including weather pages on my computer. Then I decide whether to immeditely play "duck-and-cover" or whether I can spend time to determined where the danger is, where it's coming from, and where it's going.
The sirens are part of an extensive warning system, which need regular inspection and upkeep. BUT, don't get rid of the system because a couple didn't happen to work. Keep repairing those which may not work.
Jun 25, 2010 at 11:24 a.m.
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Also, Mr. Boutwell needs to correct his information regarding Milton.
Jun 25, 2010 at 11:23 a.m.
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NCC - Same thing as has always been. I grew up on a farm and obviously did not have sirens. We relied on TV, radio, and our eyeballs.
Jun 25, 2010 at 11:15 a.m.
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Im with Blue21, nothing is ever fool proof. These systems as well as any other type of possible help- is just that (a hopeful possibility). We cant predict or be protected from everything, we just cant.
Jun 25, 2010 at 9:47 a.m.
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Actually, shortly after 8:00pm, I did hear the Milton siren go off. I was talking to my Mom on the phone and told her "gotta go"!
Jun 25, 2010 at 9:31 a.m.
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Sirens are intended to be heard OUTDOORS only, though if you are close enough they can be heard indoors. With the amount of information available, there's no reason not to be prepared. Unfortunately, most people take a "it can't happen to me" stance and ignore the potential danger.
Jun 25, 2010 at 9:18 a.m.
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People should really take responsibility for their own safety. What if we didn't HAVE sirens? Keep an eye on the weather. If you simply look outside, you'll see if the weather is getting bad.
Jun 25, 2010 at 8:32 a.m.
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I would love this paper to do the true story.
Why the sirens didn't go off out in Eagle Wi. Monday Night.
It can be found on www.tmj4.com I-TEAM REPORT Eagle sirens. Lets get the facts to people and don't pussy toe around something
Jun 24, 2010 at 10:14 p.m.
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WMTV Ch 15 has FREE text alerts.
Jun 24, 2010 at 7:12 p.m.
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out here in the Township of Center we cant hear anything. I have friends in Janesville that called us to tell us they were going off...I wish that we had one on County H to warn us out of city limits folks
Jun 24, 2010 at 6:33 p.m.
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If your cheap (like me)weather.com has a free text message system. If severe weather is in the area I change my cell phone ringer to something that plays a long ringtone to wake me up in the middle of the night. Works great!
Jun 24, 2010 at 5:20 p.m.
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I paid $9.95 a year for a phone call from meteorologist Bob Lyndmeyer (Ch. 27) through weather call. I registered 3 phones and they'll call up to 3 times for a tornado warning.
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