Why does the siren go off

At PM on the first Wednesday of each month many counties test the sirens with full sound. This is a good time to have a simple emergency drill at your work, school or residence. When you hear a siren test, at least take a moment to think about what you would do in an actual emergency at that moment. Civil Emergency: The signal for a civil emergency such as a tornado is a steady wail heard for at least 3 minutes. Remember: Many sirens rotate when they sound. Do not confuse increasing and decreasing volume with rising and falling tone.

The first civilian use of these sirens in the Twin Cities was during the Tornado Outbreak. To check the status of your local county siren policy, check out the menu on the West Hennepin Mesonet site. Finally, a tornado emergency is issued if there is a confirmed violent tornado, which threatens human life and catastrophic damage. In , 76 people were killed by tornadoes and hundreds were injured nationally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

About half of those killed were in a mobile home during the tornado. Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes must be taken seriously, experts say, and that often means taking shelter. It is imperative to avoid sheltering in a room with windows, as they can easily be blown out by high winds, according to the CDC. It is not recommended to take shelter in a mobile home or car. Outside, avoid bridges or highway overpasses. Gov — a national public safety campaign — advises shutting and sealing all windows, doors, air vents and fireplaces, and sheltering under sturdy furniture.

Top emergency management and weather agencies recommended households keep the following in a prepackaged emergency preparedness kit, applicable to all human-made or natural disasters:. FEMA advises households develop a communication plan before a major weather event. The National Weather Service recommends conducting severe thunderstorm drills. If they sound again that means there is a new danger such as a second tornado warning.

Sirens are never sounded for an "all clear. Sirens are not meant to warn or be heard by people who are already indoors. We recommend that the sirens be considered a backup warning method and that individuals rely primarily on other services like those mentioned above as their main source for warnings.

The sirens are never tested on a national or religious holiday or Remembrance Day, even if they fall on the first Monday in the month. If the siren sounds repeatedly, it means that there is an emergency of some kind. You may also hear a warning over the public address system or from a loudspeaker van.

Follow the instructions and advice of the public authorities.