Aging Sirens Worry Officials

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Updated: 10:58 PM Jul 4, 2009 Aging Sirens Worry Officials Hall County Hall County's emergency manager says he needs funding for emergency sirens he expects to fail all at the same time. Posted: 12:25 PM Jul 4, 2009 Reporter: Sara Geake Email Address: sara.geake@kolnkgin.com

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Emergency sirens in one Nebraska county may soon go silent.

Many of Hall County's outdoor warning signals were put up in the 1970's and 80's, and are starting to fail.

This March a siren had to be replaced in Grand Island.

"We anticipate over the next several years that a number of them will fail at the same time," said Jon Rosenlund, Hall County/Grand Island Emergency Management director.

With a price tag of $14,000, the sirens are not easy to replace--especially within Emergency Management's $280,000 budget.

Sitting in Ashley Park, Celia Martinez admits she'd have to rely on the sirens if severe weather struck.

But usually "I don't really pay attention to them," she said. "I have a little weather thing...I listen to that."

Rosenlund says you shouldn't solely rely on emergency sirens.

He says 27 out of the 38 sirens are nearly 30 years old, but even if they were brand new they shouldn't be your sole form of alert.

"People need to employ a wide array of warning technologies in their home," said Rosenlund. "They're all free, whether it's outdoor warning sirens if you're outdoors, a weather radio in your home, local radio, local t.v."

Rosenlund says he realizes many rely on the sirens, so he's working to get grant money to replace them before they fail.

Usually Emergency Management budgets to replace two sirens.

Last year the department wasn't authorized to do any replacements and a siren broke.

"We had to beg, borrow, and steal from a number of line items and we were able to replace that siren and still stay within our budget," said Rosenlund. "Our concern, however, in the department is if that happens again there's not a lot of money left over between the couch cushions to do that again."

Martinez says having sirens is worth the money.

"It is pretty important because a lot of people don't really pay attention and if they don't hear it, it could mean their death," she said.

Rosenlund says the sirens are checked twice a month.

He says, he has requested funds from the city and county, and now must wait for the budget to be hashed out.

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