I think it is time to scrap outdoor warning sirens.
Sure, they do have some value, but do we need to spend any more money on these things? Seems to be many Alabamians still believe you should hear a siren in your home before every tornado. I noticed many people in the areas hit so hard by severe weather this past weekend commenting about “not hearing any sirens” before the tornadoes touched down. The truth is that these sirens are meant to warn people outside, NOT inside a home. Even if some communities put them up for that purpose, a large percentage of the population simply cannot hear sirens in their home during active weather.
The sirens need to go away, and any money should be poured into getting a NOAA Weather Radio receiver in every home. That is the best way to get a warning when you are indoors. And, unfortunately, a small percentage of Alabama homes have one. I have great fear the “siren mentality” has killed people over the years, and will continue to do so in coming years unless we do something. And there are many times I wonder if the right thing is to pull all of them down and put them to permanent rest. Outdoor sirens were born during the cold war days, and were intended for use in the event of an enemy attack on the U.S.
If you are reading this, more than likely you understand the issue and have a NOAA Weather Radio receiver, E-Warn on your cell phone, or some other way of getting the warnings. The problem involves people who really aren’t “weather aware”, and don’t really care about severe weather warnings. It usually takes a tornado tragedy to get those kind of people to begin paying attention.
We are looking at the possibility of a severe weather outbreak across much of Alabama tomorrow night; perhaps late at night. Let’s hope everyone is paying attention, and not waiting on a siren blast.
Sure, they do have some value, but do we need to spend any more money on these things? Seems to be many Alabamians still believe you should hear a siren in your home before every tornado. I noticed many people in the areas hit so hard by severe weather this past weekend commenting about “not hearing any sirens” before the tornadoes touched down. The truth is that these sirens are meant to warn people outside, NOT inside a home. Even if some communities put them up for that purpose, a large percentage of the population simply cannot hear sirens in their home during active weather.
The sirens need to go away, and any money should be poured into getting a NOAA Weather Radio receiver in every home. That is the best way to get a warning when you are indoors. And, unfortunately, a small percentage of Alabama homes have one. I have great fear the “siren mentality” has killed people over the years, and will continue to do so in coming years unless we do something. And there are many times I wonder if the right thing is to pull all of them down and put them to permanent rest. Outdoor sirens were born during the cold war days, and were intended for use in the event of an enemy attack on the U.S.
If you are reading this, more than likely you understand the issue and have a NOAA Weather Radio receiver, E-Warn on your cell phone, or some other way of getting the warnings. The problem involves people who really aren’t “weather aware”, and don’t really care about severe weather warnings. It usually takes a tornado tragedy to get those kind of people to begin paying attention.
We are looking at the possibility of a severe weather outbreak across much of Alabama tomorrow night; perhaps late at night. Let’s hope everyone is paying attention, and not waiting on a siren blast.
on April 5, 2006, 9:07 pm
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