Outdoor Warning Siren Testing

Hamilton County Emergency Management (HCEM) will resume the weekly testing of the outdoor warning sirens on Friday, March 10, at 11:00 a.m. The sirens will also sound during the statewide tornado drill on Tuesday, March 15, at approximately 10:15 a.m. Emergency Management encourages everyone to exercise your plan by going to your safe place during the drill.

“The outdoor warning sirens are intended to warn those who are outdoors. Because sirens are not intended to warn those indoors, we recommend every household and business to have a weather radio,” said Shane Booker, Executive Director of Emergency Management. To learn more about outdoor warning sirens in Hamilton County, please visit www.hamiltoncounty.in.gov/235/Outdoor-WarningSirens.

Sirens are only sounded when:

1. The National Weather Service issues a tornado warning – visit

https://www.weather.gov/safety/tornado-ww for more information

2. When public safety personnel sees a funnel cloud or tornado

3. When a trained weather spotter sees a funnel cloud or tornado

When the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning, a message will be sent to cell phones in the county area near the warning. FEMA, which manages the Emergency Alert System and the Wireless Emergency Alerts, is working to improve alerts to only those in the warned area. Emergency Management uses the same system to send non-weather-related emergencies to cell phones and weather radios. Alerts can include hazardous materials warnings, shelter-in-place warnings, law enforcement warnings, and more.

Emergency Management recommends everyone have a plan for severe weather, an emergency kit with supplies for at least three days, and multiple ways to receive warnings, such as a weather radio and the free HCEM mobile app. Resources to help you prepare for severe weather, emergencies, and disasters are available at www.ready.gov. The website also includes information and games to help children understand emergency preparedness.