Avinger installs warning sirens

By J. Leslie Riseden

Special contributor to The Steel Country Bee

The City of Avinger has installed two state-of-theart outdoor emergency sirens. At the regular meeting of the City Council Oct. 24, Bob Kenyan, Instructor and Public Information Officer for the Avinger Volunteer Fire Department, presented details. “These are outside sirens, designed to be heard in all of Avinger by people who are outdoors or are in open areas. Residents who are inside, with televisions and air conditioners going, may not hear them,“ said Kenyan. During severe weather, he urged residents to stay alert, and tune to local radio/TV stations, or to the local weather channel for information and instructions. The Avinger weather radio channel is 162.425 MHz.

If there is a tornado warning -- meaning there has been a tornado sighting, or there is a strong possibility of tornado formation, destructive winds (58 mph or higher) or golfball- size hail -- the sirens will blast a modulating (i.e., up-and-down) cycle of three minutes. This is a “shelter in place” alert, and residents should seek shelter in a basement or interior room on the lowest level of their home, and stay away from doors and windows. Persons who are away from home should seek shelter in the nearest building and follow the emergency instructions provided. The “shelter in place” siren would also be used for other emergency situations that require that residents remain inside until authorities advise it is safe to leave.

(In the event of a tornado watch, or high winds below 58 mph, residents should monitor weather conditions. No siren will sound.) If there is a wildfire, flash flood, hazardous materials spill, or other evacuation event, the sirens will blast a steady warning tone lasting three minutes. Residents should tune to local radio/tv stations or local weather channel for further information, and be prepared to evacuate if instructed to do so by law enforcement, firefighters or other government official.

Kenyan urges residents NOT to call 9-1-1 or the Sheriff ’s Office when they hear the sirens, unless it is to report the sighting of a funnel cloud or to report another emergency situation. “Tune to local tv/radio/weather channel for information and follow instructions,“ Kenyan advised. “If evacuation is ordered, residents should leave immediately. To delay could endanger their lives as well as the lives of emergency personnel.” All residents should already have an evacuation plan in place, and should conduct drills with their families.

Avinger sirens are scheduled for testing twice a month, and testing will begin Nov. 1. On the first Tuesday of each month at approximately 1:00 p.m., there will be three long blasts of the steady sirens. On the third Tuesday of the month, at approximately 6:30 p.m., both the steady and the modulating sirens will be tested. Kenyan noted that, in the event of threatening weather conditions, tests will not be conducted, so as to avoid any possible confusion for residents.

“Above all,“ Kenyan added, “people should remain calm and not panic. Panic often leads to preventable injury.”