290 IAC 2-1-8 - Conditions for activation of severe weather warning sirens

Authority: IC 36-8-21.5-9

Affected: IC 36-8-21.5

Sec. 8.

(a) The standards and guidelines in this section outline potential conditions under which severe weather warning sirens shall or may be activated in order to alert people to an imminent weather hazard and prompt them to take shelter. The decision of whether to activate severe weather warning sirens is a local decision, to be made by the officials described in section 6 of this rule. This local decision making process shall be outlined in the county siren coverage plan.

(b) Severe weather warning sirens shall be activated in areas for which the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a tornado warning.

(c) Severe weather warning sirens may be activated, in the absence of an NWS tornado warning, when reliable reports from law enforcement, trained weather spotters, or other public safety officials indicate a tornado has touched down in the area.

(d) Severe weather warning sirens may be activated during a severe thunderstorm warning, but only if destructive winds of seventy-five (75) miles per hour or greater have been confirmed.

(e) Severe weather warning sirens may be activated under other circumstances as defined and identified within the county's siren coverage plan.

(f) Severe weather warning sirens shall not be activated merely because the NWS has issued a tornado warning for a neighboring county.

(g) Once severe weather warning sirens have been activated, counties shall not utilize sirens to send an "all-clear" tone. There are many other methods to advise the public of an all clear, which are less likely to confuse members of the public.

(h) Severe weather warning sirens shall be tested on a regular schedule (at least monthly) on Fridays at 11 a.m. local time using the same alert sound that is used during an actual emergency weather condition. Testing of sirens shall not be done if thunderstorms are in the area, to avoid confusing the public. Testing may be suspended if the temperature is less than thirty-two (32) degrees Fahrenheit to avoid the maintenance problems that might otherwise result.

Notes

290 IAC 2-1-8

Department of Homeland Security; 290 IAC 2-1-8; filed Aug 8, 2012, 10:43 a.m.: 20120905-IR-290110666FRA Readopted filed 7/2/2018, 2:42 p.m.: 20180801-IR-290180240RFA Readopted filed 6/21/2024, 2:53 p.m.: 20240717-IR-290230826RFA