Emergency Management officials in Rock County, Wisconsin, have announced a significant change in the activation criteria for outdoor warning sirens. Going forward, sirens will be triggered when the National Weather Service issues a severe thunderstorm warning that includes a “destructive” tag. This classification indicates that the storm is producing wind speeds of at least 80 mph or hail that reaches the size of baseballs (2.75 inches in diameter).
Kevin Wernet, the Director of Rock County Emergency Management, explained that this update aligns the siren alerts with phone notifications people receive, thereby enhancing public safety. “We felt it was important to match when people are getting the alerts on their phone with our siren system,” Wernet said. He emphasized that the adjustment is particularly timely given the current forecasts for severe weather.
The outdoor warning sirens serve the critical function of notifying residents to seek shelter and stay informed during severe weather events. Rock County is equipped with 40 sirens, which are part of an older system where when one siren sounds, all of them do, ensuring coverage throughout the county. However, Wernet noted that individuals living in more rural areas may not have immediate access to a siren, thus underscoring the importance of relying on local news sources and weather radios for updates.
This proactive measure aims to improve community readiness and safety as winter storms begin to develop.