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Monday, June 13, 2016

WICOMICO COUNTY CITIZEN WARNING/ALERT SIREN SYSTEM

The warning system is designed to alert residents and visitors of Wicomico County about an imminent hazard to include weather-related danger such as a tornado warning. The specific emergency alerts will be broadcast over any or all of the 13 sirens located at local fire departments and the two maintained by the Wicomico County Department of Emergency Services. Wicomico’s siren system can be activated for either the entire county or for specific affected areas. In the event of an imminent hazard the alert tone – which differs from fire station alarms – will sound for a sustained 2 minutes. When the sirens sound, citizens should seek shelter immediately and then tune into local news media for additional information. Citizens should not call 9-1-1 to determine the hazard causing the activation. 

Frequently Asked Questions? 

What is the Citizen Alert/Warning Siren System? The warning system is designed to alert residents and visitors of Wicomico County about imminent hazards. The specific emergency alerts will be broadcast over any or all of the 13 sirens located at local fire departments and the two maintained by the Wicomico County Department of Emergency Services. In the event of an imminent hazard, the alert tone will sound for a sustained 2 minutes. 

Why do the sirens go off every first Monday every month? 

They are tested at 6:30 pm the first Monday of every month. During the monthly test, the siren emits a single 10 second sustained alert tone. Residents should use this test as a time to review emergency procedures. In the event of a disaster, the alert tone will sound for a sustained 2 minutes. 

What if I hear the siren at another time? 

If you hear the siren at a time other than its regular tests on the first Monday of the month at 6:30 pm: 

 Stay calm 
 Stop what you are doing 
 Seek shelter immediately 
 Tune into local news media for additional information 
 Avoid using the telephone. Do not call 9-1-1, unless you have a life-threatening emergency 
 Wicomico County’s sirens do not sound an “All Clear” tone, so consult the news media to learn when the danger has lifted
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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 13, 2016 at 8:25 AM

    Pretty scary to depend our local media

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJune 13, 2016 at 8:40 AM

    Thank you for the info! Living close to a fire station has caused me to "tune out" the alarm. I think WiCo needs to reconsider not having an "all clear" tone. An emergency is something people are not actively aware of and thus have little to no time to make sure they have a working line of communication to the outside world in the case of a power outage. Yes, most have cell phones but how many are fully charged all the time? I'd be curious to know how many readers have a properly stocked, easily transported emergency kit with meds/food/water, a battery powered radio, or an emergency plan for their family (AND PETS) that is pre-prepared and periodically evaluated.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJune 13, 2016 at 11:47 AM

    What do you do if it goes off 2 times then stops then 3 more times?

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJune 13, 2016 at 9:09 PM

    Is this a Muslim Invasion siren too?

    ReplyDelete

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