Lexington’s Warning Siren Network Designed for Outdoor Alerts

DEM Blogger

July 20, 2018

The Lexington Division of Emergency Management wants to remind residents about the purpose of the outdoor warning sirens in parks and golf courses.

“These sirens are effective for people outdoors in those parks and golf courses,” said Pat Dugger, Director, Lexington Emergency Management. “These sirens are not designed for warning people who are indoors. Even if you live near a park or golf course, sirens are only effective for warning of dangerous conditions for people outdoors.”

The most effective home or business severe weather warning system available is the NOAA all-hazards weather radio. Newer models can be programmed so that they only go off only when there is a county-specific weather warning. Many models have a text readout that remembers and displays the current warning or watch status. The weather radios typically cost $30 and are available at local grocery, department and hardware stores.

“Having a working NOAA all-hazards weather radio in your home and office is the best way to stay up-to-date on weather advisories, watches and warnings,” said Dugger. “Once you’re aware of potentially hazardous or dangerous weather conditions, we certainly want you to watch and listen to local television and radio stations for the latest information and stay tuned until the threat passes.”

There are several other ways to get current severe weather information wherever a person might be. Newer mobile phones are able to automatically receive and display Wireless Emergency Alerts. These alerts display on screen along with a unique tone and will include information on weather warnings, local emergencies, AMBER alerts, and national emergencies.

You can sign up for the Fayette County Emergency Alert System – LexAlerts – here.

Additional information about the community siren system is available at www.lexingtonky.gov/sirens.

More information about emergency preparedness is available here at the Division of Emergency Management’s website. Information from the division is also available through the DEM Facebook page (LexingtonKYEM) and the DEM Twitter account (@lexkyem).