Public reminded about Decorah siren system operation

As the 2014 Severe Weather Awareness Week draws to an end, emergency response officials in the Decorah area are reminding the public about the operation of the siren system in Decorah and Winneshiek County.
 
The E-911 Dispatch Center and Winneshiek County Emergency Management Agency want to remind all Winneshiek County residents that the outdoor warning sirens  are just that; they are meant to alert people outside. There is no guarantee that any siren in any community will be heard inside a structure. Winds, indoor activities such as radio or TVs will vary the effectiveness of hearing a siren inside a building.

The sirens are blown by the E-911 dispatch center for Severe Weather, Major Hazardous Chemical releases, and for tests. The criteria for Severe Weather alerting is for winds in excess of 70 miles per hour and/or golf-ball size hail or larger (1.75 inches in diameter or greater). Tornado or funnel cloud aloft spotted by ground observers or detected by NWS radar will also cause a Warning alert.
 
Emergency Management Director Bruce Goetsch stated "The sirens sound to alert people outside to seek shelter and tune radio and TVs to area stations for further weather information and warnings."Jon Pankow, E-911 Support Services Administrator, reminds residents that "the sirens are not used for ALL CLEAR. Information that the severe weather threat has ended and it is safe to leave a shelter will come from radio/TV stations or the All-Hazards Radio broadcasts."