3/9/2007
Media Contact:
Justin Ohlemiller, [317] 327-3690 |
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Mayor, public safety officials launch plan to completely overhaul emergency siren network
INDIANAPOLIS – Indianapolis’ network of outdoor emergency sirens will undergo a major upgrade, Mayor Bart Peterson announced today. Joined by leaders of Marion County’s Emergency Management division, public safety personnel and representatives from the National Weather Service, Peterson unveiled a plan to purchase and install 100 new emergency sirens throughout Marion County.
The majority of the new sirens will replace outdated or malfunctioning units, while others will be used to increase the audible coverage of the warning signal, which sounds to warn residents of oncoming severe weather or other emergency situations.
The project will increase the total number of sirens in Marion County from 140 to 170. The 30 additional siren systems mean between 97 and 99 percent of the county will be covered by the wail of a siren. The current system covers about 70 percent of the geographical area of Marion County.
“We must do everything available to us to give individuals and families time to plan and react in the event of severe weather or other emergency situations,” Mayor Peterson said. “That’s how lives are saved.
“We are taking a big step forward today toward ensuring our community is better prepared for emergency events.”
City leaders and emergency management personnel began plans last year to overhaul the largely outdated and antiquated siren network. Some units date back as far as the 1950’s, making repairs and maintenance challenging due to a lack of available replacement parts. Population growth over the last several decades also created a need for more sirens in outlying areas of the city.
Along with installing new sirens and replacing older, malfunctioning units, the $5-million siren project will include upgrading and maintaining all newer, existing units within the network. The siren system upgrade will begin later this month and take approximately six months to complete. The project will be paid for by bonds issued last year to overhaul the county’s emergency communications equipment.
Modern technology, including a broadband wireless alert system, will allow for improved diagnostics and more targeted activations of sirens. This will enable for targeted warnings to coincide with areas of potential dangerous weather. Additionally, several weather monitoring stations will provide continuous information to the county’s Emergency Operations Center and supplement data from the National Weather Service and other sources.
The emergency siren network will continue to function throughout the duration of the project, and will in fact be improved incrementally as new sirens are installed and existing ones are repaired.
The Mayor and public safety leaders stressed that the county’s emergency sirens are meant to be heard outdoors, so residents should take additional steps to stay informed about serve weather while in their homes or businesses. Officials recommend families and businesses invest in a weather radio, which provides warnings and information directly from the National Weather Service. Officials also encouraged families and businesses to have a safety plan in place and practice and update that plan regularly.
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