03/26/2013
Indianapolis/Marion County will participate in the Statewide
Outdoor Warning Siren Test
Indianapolis – As part of Severe Weather Preparedness Week March 25-29, 2013, the Division of Homeland Security (DHS), in cooperation with the National Weather Service (NWS) and other partners has selected Wednesday, March 27, 2012 as the date for the Statewide Tornado Drill. This will be the thirty-fifth annual drill of this type involving a test of the communications and warning capabilities within the State. During this drill the NWS will send a Tone Alerted warning message over the NOAA Weather Radios. DHS will also be setting off the outdoor warning sirens. Should actual severe weather be a threat on Wednesday, March 27, the test will be held on Thursday, March 28.
There will be two drills initiated this year by the NWS on March 27. The purpose of these tests is to allow each county to test the warning sirens in a simulated emergency situation and to provide the opportunity for businesses and schools to test their procedures for severe weather incidents. The first test will be initiated at 10:15 am, and the second test will be initiated at 7:35 pm. The earlier test is primarily for the benefit of school participation and the majority of the workforce who are at their place of employment at that time. The later test will allow families the opportunity to practice their own personal safety measures within their home.
Homeland Security Chief adds “Tornadoes do occur year round, as we saw last year in Southern Indiana. It’s important to be prepared during the peak season from April to June as well. Let’s prepare so when faced with a disaster we become that strong resilient community.”
Remember that outdoor warning sirens are for outdoor warning only. With 97.9% of our community covered, you may not hear the siren inside your home or business. It may not wake you up during the night so therefore we are encouraging citizens to prepare themselves for severe weather by building a kit that includes a NOAA Weather Radio, making a plan for them and their family, and staying informed through the NWS and our local media partners.
Follow DHS online at Twitter and Facebook. Follow DPS on Twitter and Facebook. The social media links provided are for reference only. DHS and DPS do not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.
The Division of Homeland Security is one of the six divisions of the City of Indianapolis Department of Public Safety. Its mission is to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the city’s critical infrastructure from all types of natural and human-made hazards through a comprehensive program of mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. DHS works to secure a confident public and strong society and economy of Indianapolis and Marion County. For additional information visit www.indy.gov/dhs and www.indy.gov/dps .
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