LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Tag: Outdoor warning sirens

  • Practice where to shelter during Ohio’s Statewide Tornado Drill

    Practice where to shelter during Ohio’s Statewide Tornado Drill

    SPRING SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IS MARCH 19-25

    Severe weather can occur at any time of the year and Spring Severe Weather Awareness Week allows Ohioans the opportunity to learn the best ways to be prepared and stay safe during inclement weather.

    “Severe weather can impact Ohio at any time of year, so it’s important that residents are prepared for the possibility of a weather emergency,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “Spring Severe Weather Awareness Week allows Ohioans the opportunity to learn more about severe weather and be prepared before, during, and after a storm.”

    In a coordinated effort with the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness (OCSWA), the Ohio Emergency Management Agency, and the National Weather Service, Governor DeWine has proclaimed March 19-25 as Spring Severe Weather Awareness Week and is encouraging all Ohioans to prepare themselves for spring and summer weather hazards and home emergencies.

    “Ohio’s weather can often be unpredictable, especially in the spring when temperatures fluctuate between warm and cold which can be a recipe for severe weather, or even tornadoes,” said Ohio Emergency Management Agency Executive Director Sima Merick. “We encourage all Ohioans to make or review an existing emergency plan and be prepared.”

    At 9:50 AM on Wednesday, March 22, local communities can participate in a statewide tornado drill and test their emergency and sheltering plans. Ohio counties may use this time to sound and test their outdoor warning sirens and mass notification systems. Businesses, schools, and households are also encouraged to practice their tornado drills and emergency plans at this time.

    Safety & Preparedness Tips

    Know the Terms:

    Tornado Watch – Be Prepared: When conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes. Be ready to move to a place of safety if the watch is upgraded to a warning or if threatening weather approaches.

    Tornado Warning – Take Action: When a tornado is imminent or has been sighted. Warnings indicate impending danger to life and property. Seek safe shelter immediately.

    Prepare for Severe Weather and Home Emergencies: Build a kit and make a plan. This includes having a severe weather kit for home and vehicle and creating an emergency plan/or updating your existing plan

    Be Aware of Hazards in Your Area: Ohio’s weather hazards from early spring into summer include snowmelt and flooding, tornadoes, and thunderstorms. Visit the OCSWA website to learn more about severe weather safety and preparedness.

    Prepare for a Flood: Learn and practice evacuation routes, shelter plans, and flash flood response. Gather supplies, including non-perishable foods, cleaning supplies, and water for several days, in case you must leave immediately or if services are cut off in your area.

    Flooded Roadways: Never attempt to cross a flooded road on foot or in a vehicle. It only takes six inches of water to knock an adult off their feet, one foot of moving water can float a vehicle, and two feet of water can carry away most vehicles including pickup trucks and SUVs. Don’t chance it, find an alternative route! Turn Around Don’t Drown®.

    Outdoor Warning Sirens: Many Ohio counties have outdoor warning sirens that sound when severe weather is imminent. Outdoor warning sirens are designed to be heard outdoors.

    Alerts and Notifications: Getting weather and emergency information from trusted sources is important. Have multiple means of receiving communications and always get your information from reliable sources such as the National Weather Service, local broadcast radio and television stations, and phone apps from trusted agencies. Other great sources for communications are the Emergency Alert System (EAS) which are messages sent over television and radio channels, Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) which are free notifications delivered to mobile devices as part of a public safety system, and a NOAA All-Hazards Weather Radio.

    To download a copy of Governor DeWine’s Spring Severe Weather Proclamations, click here or visit the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness website.

    Know-the-Difference-between-a-Watch-and-a-WarningDownload
  • Investigation continues on Clermont County siren issues

    Investigation continues on Clermont County siren issues

    Batavia, Ohio – The Clermont County Department of Public Safety Services is continuing to investigate what may have caused outdoor warning sirens to sound in Clermont County on Oct. 24 and Nov. 3. On both days, about half the sirens in the county went off at about the same time, 10:30 AM.

    Sirens in Clermont County are used in very limited circumstances, including when:

    • A tornado warning has been issued by the National Weather Service.
    • A funnel cloud is reported by credible source.
    • A chemical emergency has occurred and a shelter-in-place order has been issued.

    The sirens are tested once a month, at noon on the first Wednesday of the month.

    Clermont County has 74 sirens. They are located throughout the county to ensure that residents can hear them when they are outside.

    The sirens consist of reconditioned civil defense sirens, which receive a VHF signal for activation. The remainder are activated by a VHF/FSK signal (Frequency-Shift Keying) technology from the 1990s. Twice now the FSK sirens have been activated without human intervention. Investigations so far have not detected a cause for this random activation according to the County.

    After the activation on Saturday, a manual cutoff circuit was placed between the transmitter and the phone lines to prevent the signal from reaching the sirens. The sirens can still be manually activated if the need arises, said John Kiskaden, Director of Public Safety Services.

    American Signal, the manufacturer of the transmitter, is working with Clermont County to determine whether the transmitter is the issue and recommend solutions to resolve the random activation of the VHF/FSK sirens.

    “We understand the frustrations and confusion of our residents and we will find out why this is happening and do our best to ensure it does not happen again,” said Ed Humphrey, President of the Board of County Commissioners.

    “Inadvertent alarms are very concerning,” said Commissioner David Painter. “We will verify and reverify this system until we find out why this happened.”

    “Although residents are understandably confused by these false alarms, they should not ignore sirens,” said Pam Haverkos, Director of the Clermont County Emergency Management Agency. “If the sirens sound, seek shelter, tune into local media outlets for additional information, and take the appropriate action.”

    Residents are also encouraged to have multiple means of receiving weather-related alerts and warnings.  For more information go to:https://ema.clermontcountyohio.gov/emergency-notification/

    For more information on warning sirens, go to https://ema.clermontcountyohio.gov/outdoor-weather-sirens.

    Welcome to All About Kids We invite you to come visit one of our convenient locations, talk to our staff and teachers and learn why.

  • There was “No Emergency” is all Clermont County is saying

    There was “No Emergency” is all Clermont County is saying

    Clermont County, Ohio – The only information Clermont County has released concerning the sounding of the Outdoor Hazard Sirens this morning is:

     

    All hazard sirens have just gone off in the County. THERE IS NO EMERGENCY. We are checking into why this happened.

    Again, you may have heard sirens but there is NO EMERGENCY.

    Thank you!

     

    The All Hazard Outdoor Sirens are tested the first Wednesday of every month at 12 noon.  If severe weather is forecast, or is observed in the area, the monthly test will be postponed until the next monthly test to avoid confusion.

    Outdoor warning sirens are used to alert residents who may be outdoors when a Tornado Warning is issued by the National Weather Service, a funnel cloud is reported by credible source, or a chemical emergency has occurred and a shelter-in-place order has been issued.

    The sirens are not intended to alert people indoors. It is highly recommended that each residence, business, school and church purchase weather alert radios that are automatically activated during severe weather and hazardous materials events. Text and e-mail alerts are also available via the National Weather Service and other major media outlets.

    Activation
    All of the outdoor warning sirens in Clermont County will be activated when the following conditions exist:

      • A Tornado Warning is issued by the National Weather Service;
      • A Tornado or funnel cloud is reported by a public safety official or trained weather spotter; or
      • A Chemical emergency has occurred resulting in a shelter-in-place order to be issued.

    Testing
    The outdoor warning sirens are tested the first Wednesday of every month at 12:00 pm. If severe weather is forecast, or is observed in the area, the monthly test will be postponed until the next monthly test to avoid confusion. The monthly tests are conducted to test the operation of the sirens and to familiarize the residents with the sound of the siren, should a Tornado Warning be issued.

    Repair / Maintenance
    The outdoor warning sirens in Clermont County are owned, maintained, and repaired by the local Cities, Townships, and Villages. Questions and concerns about siren operability and/or inoperability should be directed to the local fire department where the siren is located.

      Loveland chiropractor Douglas Portmann, DC at Wards Corner Chiropractic & Sports Rehab is one of the best chiropractors in the Loveland area.