Regular monthly testing of Lexington’s outdoor siren alert and warning system will continue TODAY, Wednesday, May 3, at 10 am. The addition of the newly-installed siren system at McConnell Springs Park, located off Old Frankfort Pike at 416 Rebmann Lane, will be new for this test. The McConnell Springs siren will be the 31st siren operational at larger parks and golf courses in Fayette County.
“The sirens are an important part of our community alert and warning system,” said Patricia Dugger, the director of Lexington Emergency Management. “But, it’s important for people to remember that the sirens are designed to alert people outdoors. Sirens are not intended to alert persons inside a home, apartment building, or business.”
During the test, the sirens sound a series of chime tones and a voice announcement. The individual sirens report their status back to the central control system. If the system reports any fault in a siren, maintenance staff are dispatched to investigate and fix the issue.
Lexington’s siren system activates for three specific types of weather or emergency conditions:
- Severe thunderstorm warning or tornado watch = Westminster chimes, followed by a voice alert
- Tornado Warning = Steady siren wail
- Evacuation, Shelter-in-Place, All Clear = Up and down wail followed by a voice alert
“If you hear a siren in a park or golf course sound a series of chimes or a steady tone or wail, the best thing to do is check the BeReadyLexington.com website, our BeReady phone app, our social media channels or tune to local radio or television for more information,” said Dugger. “Sirens alert you to something unusual going on. You need to seek out additional information about the alert or emergency and what you should do next.”
More information about the siren system and the warning sounds is available at: BeReadyLexington.com/sirens.
Emergency and preparedness information is also available via the Lexington Emergency Management Facebook page: @LexingtonKYEM, and the Division of Emergency Management Twitter and Instagram accounts: @Lexkyem.
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