The Siren Board

Butler County unveils county-wide tornado siren policy


More Local NewsPolice looking for more victims in Blue Ash quick change scamButler County unveils county-wide tornado siren policyPolice: Teenagers admit stealing drugs, computer equipment, jewelry from over 50 vehiclesNASCAR drivers visit Mazak plantDef Leppard concert postponedFAIRFIELD, OH (FOX19) - Officials in Butler County unveiled their new county-wide tornado siren policy Wednesday morning; under the new plan authorities can sound the sirens in four different scenarios:

?The National Weather Service issues a tornado warning
?The National Weather Service identifies a Doppler indicated cell
?A credible public sighting of a funnel cloud
?A police chief, fire chief, sheriff or emergency management officials decides to activate the sirens
"The important fact is that we're all on the same sheet of music, that when the tornado sirens go off, we're all on the same page," said Fairfield Township Fire Chief David Downie.

"So, basically when you hear those sirens there is imminent danger or the possibility of a tornado, and that's when we want people to take action and take safety," said Jeff Galloway of the Butler County Emergency Management Agency.

In the event of a tornado warning 90 different sirens will all be set off simultaneously from seven dispatch centers in Butler County and one in Hamilton County, under the plan sirens won't be sounded for a tornado watch or thunderstorm warning.

"Our overall goal is the safety of everybody, and having one system so we don't have the confusion," Galloway said.

But, could confusion still exist since West Chester Township is opting out of the new policy?

"I think when it comes down to it, West Chester will abide by the county-wide policy," Galloway said.

Officials in Butler County say the new policy gives them more authority when it comes to sounding the sirens.

"Two Fairfield Twp. police officers spotted a funnel cloud at Bypass 4 and 129 and because we didn't have the authority that we currently have to have our sirens set off, because they're set off through a different dispatch center, we couldn't get that accomplished," Downie said.

The Butler County EMA also emphasizes that's residents shouldn't solely relay on the sirens, Downie recommends residents purchase a NOAA weather alert radio, to ensure families can hear the warnings if they're indoors.

"It's very important that you have that indoor notification, they're relatively cheap, you can program it to your county," Downie said.

The policy was adopted July 1.

Countywide tornado siren policy in full swing

FAIRFIELD TWP. ? A fundamental question asked when the new countywide tornado siren policy was being developed was the catalyst for it.

?How do we effectively cut off sirens in the middle of neighborhoods?? said Butler County Emergency Management Agency Director Jeff Galloway Wednesday morning at Fairfield East Elementary on Morris Road.

Before Friday, there were several nonuniform policies around the county that authorized tornado sirens to be activated only when in a designated storm area, or a weather box. Those boxes often included parts of neighborhoods and streets.

?This was our primary reason why we went with a countywide tornado policy,? Galloway said.

The policy dictates how the 90 sirens ? each owned by the respective jurisdictions ? would be activated for a tornado warning. And since only tornado warnings will result in the sirens? activation, Fairfield Twp. Fire Chief David Downie said there?s now no confusion.

?I think it?s something that we needed,? said Downie, who is on the committee that formed the policy. ?We?re all on the same sheet of music.?

Downie and Galloway said when sirens in Butler County sound - except when they are tested at noon on the first Wednesday of each month - people need to seek shelter immediately.

It took a year for Galloway to travel to each community pitching the policy. While West Chester Twp. was the only one not to adopt the policy, trustee President Catherine Stoker had said it?s likely the township?s sirens will go off when the rest of the county?s sirens do.

The policy dictates only the National Weather Service, a certified weather spotter, or a police, fire or EMA official may authorize the activation of the sirens.

Galloway and Downie noted the sirens are not designed to be heard from the inside, which is why they also stressed Wednesday that residents purchase a NOAA weather radio, which retails for about $30.

There was no costs associated with developing the countywide plan. However, Galloway anticipates receiving 59 recycled tornado sirens from Hamilton County to install in areas that aren?t covered, mostly in the western and northern parts of the county. Each siren?s sound has about a mile and a half radius.

Grants from Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency are being sought to pay for those sirens, he said.