WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeaderQuestions raised after first emergency siren system test

Questions raised after first emergency siren system test

WINNEBAGO COUNTY (WREX) - Many people living in Winnebago County are questioning the effectiveness of the new emergency siren system.

The siren system was tested for the first time Tuesday morning. All 73 Outdoor Emergency Warning Sirens spread throughout the county were turned on for about three minutes starting at 10:00 a.m.

The test appears to have gone off without any major problems, but 13 News has heard from several  people who think the sirens weren't loud enough. You can share your comments at the bottom of this story.

You can listen to the siren by clicking the video link at the top right of this story.

Earlier this month, Winnebago County released details of how the new system works.

The sirens are used to warn people about life-threatening weather emergencies, a threatening condition that would require an evacuation such as a chemical spill or leak, or a terrorist attack.

Information below from Press Release:

What should I do if I hear the alert?

The Outdoor Emergency Warning Siren System is capable of emitting three types of tones for an alert:

1. Long Steady Tone

2. Fast Wailing Tone

3. Slow Wailing Tone

Long Steady Tone:

This is a continuous steady tone that will last for 3-5 minutes. When this tone is sounded, it means that life threatening weather in the form of a tornado has been detected by the National Weather Service on Doppler radar or a sighting of a tornado or funnel cloud has been made by a trained weather spotter. You should immediately take cover inside a basement or other sturdy structure and tune to local radio, television, or NOAA weather radio for information.

Fast Wailing Tone:

This is a tone that rises for 6 seconds and falls for 6 seconds, over a three minute timeframe. When this tone is sounded, it means that there is an attack and you should immediately tune to radio or television broadcasts for information.

Slow Wailing Tone:

This is a tone that rises for 16 seconds and falls for 8 seconds, over one and a half minutes timeframe. When this tone is sounded, it means that there is a threatening condition present, such as a chemical spill or leak, and you should immediately evacuate the area.

All Clear:

All clear alerts will not be made. Monitor local radio, television, or NOAA weather radio for updates.

Testing Of The System:

The system is tested the first Tuesday of the month at 10:00 AM, in accordance with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) Act. For this test, the alert tone will sound for approximately 1 minute.