TROY, Ala. (WTVY) – As severe weather season approaches, emergency management agencies across Alabama are debating whether traditional weather sirens should remain part of their public alert systems.
Weather sirens have been used to warn residents of severe weather threats for decades, but advances in technology are prompting some counties to reconsider their effectiveness.
“They have a function. While what you rely on changes based on your location, it also depends on your activities. If you’re in a place where maybe cell coverage is less reliable, but they have outdoor warning systems, and those are the better tool to have,” said Jeff Smitherman, director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency.
Pike County has moved away from weather sirens entirely, opting for a modern digital approach to public alerts.
“We have discontinued our sirens, primarily because of the cost to maintain them. And…they’re obsolete. And we’ve switched to a rave alert system. It’s a text messaging system. You can communicate via a landline, email, all the same ways. And that’s the direction we’re trying to move people,” said Herb Reeves, director of Pike County EMA.
Reeves said there is also an effort to make sure children in Pike County are aware of the alert system and talk about it with their parents.
About 30 miles from Pike County, Coffee County continues to rely on weather sirens as a major part of its severe weather preparation.
“We still utilize them. We test them monthly. They still work. We’re still committed to using those right now because, again, it’s just another tool that we have to inform the public on something. So, whether it be the weather sirens, whether it be your phones, TV, those are all ways that we can use to help [get the] message out in a time of severe weather. To make sure that people are safe,” said Grant Lyons, director of Coffee County EMA.
The latest addition to Alabama’s emergency alert systems is a statewide flood notification system.
“We did just get funding for that. We’re in the process of selecting the vendor and are excited to put that in place here very soon. The governor said she wanted it in place before the summer, and we are on track to do that,” Smitherman said.
Alabama’s tax-free weekend for severe weather supplies starts Friday, February 20th. In participating locations, residents can buy batteries, flashlights, tarps, and other supplies without paying sales tax.
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