What Does it mean when I hear an outdoor warning siren?
Hearing a siren means you should seek shelter and look for more information elsewhere. Sirens are not only for tornado warnings but can signal other severe weather conditions too.
Who controls the sirens where I live?
In Iowa, outdoor warning sirens are not part of a central system. Cities and counties are responsible for choosing where they are placed, maintaining them, and upgrading them. Some special locations like airports or nuclear plants have their own sirens.
Local emergency management agencies or a county sheriff's office are usually in charge of setting off the sirens and establishing procedures. The rules for sounding sirens can be different.
Do they test sirens?
Sirens are tested according to local community or county policies. Check with your local officials to get the specific day or schedule for your community.
How can I be notified of severe weather if I am not near a siren?
Iowans should be aware of the weather and have more than one way to check the forecast:
- Learn to recognize signs of severe weather.
- Find out what to do during a storm.
- Ensure your mobile phone has Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) turned on.
- Sign up for Alert Iowa for local weather alerts at Alert.iowa.gov.
- Get a NOAA weather radio as a backup.