Instead, warning sirens are meant to notify people who are outdoors, and they’re designed to be heard by people near open windows if the power goes out and televisions and cellphones aren’t working, officials said Tuesday.
Charlie Shields, director of Ohio County Emergency Management, said the sirens sounded when the National Weather Service issued its tornado warning for the storm that slammed the county Friday night.
Ron Steve, a meteorologist with NWS in Louisville, said the agency issued the warning on the storm that struck Ohio County at 10:42 p.m. The storm crossed over into Ohio County “a few minutes after 11 p.m.,” Steve said.
But people indoors cannot expect they’ll hear a siren if they’re indoors, especially if there are sounds in the house, Shields said.
“The sirens are only made for outdoor purposes,” Shields said.
A person inside their home with the television on might not hear a weather siren, Shields said.
“Most people don’t realize that,” Shields said. The sirens are meant to be heard by people outside and away from weather radios or other forms of communication.
“If you’re outside playing football or camping, that’s what the sirens are made for,” Shields said.
The National Weather Service website says weather sirens are only to alert people outdoors of emergencies. Paul Nave, director of Owensboro - Daviess County 911, said when a weather siren is activated, “it’s not a guarantee for people inside.”
The NWS says every home should have a NOAA Weather All Hazards radio, which will alert homeowners with a severe weather alert or other alert is issued. The radios are programmed to NWS alert stations and come with battery compartments, so they’ll keep working during power failures.
Outdoor weather sirens are battery-powered and will work even during a power failure, Nave said. People who lose power during a storm should open a window, Nave said.
The power of a storm can affect how far a siren is heard, Nave said.
“When the wind is howling in a storm, the sound wouldn’t go that far,” Nave said. “If cell phones go down, and you cant get any notifications, you can stand near the window and hear a tornado warning.”
James Mayse , 270-691-7303, jmayse@messenger-inquirer.com, Twitter: @JamesMayse
___
(c)2021 the Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, Ky.)
Visit the Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, Ky.) at www.messenger-inquirer.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
