Lexington Emergency Management Completes Phase One of Warning Siren Upgrades

DEM Blogger

June 24, 2014

Lexington’s network of outdoor emergency sirens is now upgraded with newer, more reliable electronics and loudspeakers. The siren network is used to sound outdoor warnings for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, chemical and other community emergencies.

“The sirens are located in many parks and golf courses throughout Fayette County,” said Steve Jackson, Emergency Management Manager. “They’re designed to alert people outdoors to emergency situations like tornado watches and warnings. The sirens would also be used if there were a community emergency that required a park be evacuated.”

With the upgrade of the sirens at Masterson Station, Garden Springs, Gainesway, Woodland and Kirklevington Parks, all 27 siren sites are using current warning technologies. Prior to this upgrade, some of these systems were more than 40 years old.

The Division of Emergency Management, along with police, fire and other public safety agencies are training on a new system that will trigger the sirens along with other warning systems that are available in Fayette County. This new system will also allow residents to receive emails, voice or text messages. An announcement about the new system and how residents can sign up for Fayette County specific messages will come later this summer.

“The most important warning system people should have in their homes and offices is a NOAA All-Hazards Weather Radio, said Patricia Dugger, Director of the Division of Emergency Management. “These alert radios are the first line of warning when weather gets bad or there’s another type of emergency in the community. The new system will give residents more options to get emergency alerts more quickly.”

Additional information about the community siren system is available on the DEM website: www.lexingtonky.gov/sirens.

More information about emergency preparedness is available from the Division of Emergency Management website: BeReadyLexington.com. Information from the division is also available through the DEM Facebook page: LexingtonKYEM and the DEM Twitter account: @lexkyem.