In conjunction with Montana’s Severe Weather Awareness Week, the Richland County Disaster and Emergency Services (DES) will conduct siren tests in both Sidney and Fairview on Friday, April 20 at 10 a.m. The tests will consist of ensuring that the alert signal and the fire alarm signal both work properly. If the hookup is completed, Sidney residents will also hear a third test, that of the curfew alert.
“We’re holding these tests to make sure the sirens work and also as a way to educate people so they know the difference between the siren alert and the fire siren,” says DES coordinator Butch Renders. “We also want to test the curfew siren in Sidney, and if it works, we will resume sounding the 10 p.m. curfew siren each night.”
Renders explains that Sidney has different siren signals for a reason. People need to know the difference between the alarms so they can take appropriate action in an emergency. “The fire alarm signal has a wavering tone, and it goes up and down in pitch,” Renders says. “The attention or alert signal is a steady blast or tone that lasts from three to five minutes. When people hear the alert siren, they need to listen for emergency alerts on radio and TV. This alert sounds for tornadoes or other life threatening incidents.”
He continues, “If an emergency warning is necessary, upon hearing the sound of the alert siren, tune to 660 AM, the official EAS station, and also listen to a weather radio or any of the local radio or TV stations for instructions and information, then proceed as instructed.”
The tests will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 20. The Sidney alert siren will sound for one minute. There will be a thirty second pause, then the Sidney fire siren will sound for one minute. Following another thirty second pause, the Sidney curfew siren will then sound, provided it has been hooked up.
People with questions about the tests or who want to know more about emergency procedures may contact Renders at the DES office, 406-433-2220
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