Emergency Alert Notification (Siren Procedures)
Our little town is fortunate to have a functioning outdoor siren system. For years it has been used in conjunction with our pager systems as a secondary alert to let firemen know that they are needed at the station. In recent years we have also begun using a third alert system that sends a text message to phones via web based program Nixle that lets the firemen know the address and nature of the call. Every town that has an outdoor warning syste...m has their own set of policies but recently Smithville has adopted the ones below.
Unless you are a member of the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department the only siren you need to be listening for is the *Take Shelter Notification Siren! This siren will be hard to miss, given that it will sound continuously for approximately one minute. All other sirens are specifically for the members of our wonderful Fire Department but as a general rule the policy is as follows:
System Status Test-- Monday Thru Friday at 12:00 pm there will be one short blow of the siren in conjunction with the fire department’s pager test.
As Secondary Notification of a Fire Page-- When the fire department is toned out for an emergency, despite the call signal, there will be two short blows of the siren.
*Take Shelter Notification-- When the town is under imminent threat of a tornado received from a credible source, after approval from a supervisor, there will be a continuous one minute long blow of the siren.
All Clear Notification – After the threat of a tornado has passed there will be one short blow to notify citizens that all is clear
Fallen Fireman—during the funeral procession of a firefighter’s funeral upon the request of the current Fire Chief
