West Carrollton buying new sirens to warn of severe weather, disasters

New outdoor sirens to alert the public during severe weather and disasters will be coming to West Carrollton.

The city will be replacing its siren system, which was purchased in 1982, with the help of a Montgomery County grant funding half of the cost, said West Carrollton Fire Chief Chris Barnett.

“It’s definitely well worth the investment because I don’t think we’re going to get it any cheaper here at this point – especially with all the bad weather we’ve been having lately,” he said.

Five of the sirens installed 35 years ago are still in use as one was destroyed during winds from remnants of Hurricane Ike in 2008, according to Barnett.

“In order to make the outdoor public warning system efficient and effective, a consistent method of operation is paramount,” according to a memo from the fire chief. “The five original sirens are at their life expectancy and are in need of replacement.

“The main objective of the sirens is to alert those individuals who are outdoors, and away from the other established means of notification,” according to Barnett.

West Carrollton City Council approved the measure this month. Mayor Jeff Sanner said the city is getting a bargain in replacing an aging system that “helps the safety of the community.”

Because of technological advances, the city may be able to replace the system with four sirens, records show.

The cost of the sirens is expected to be about $21,000 each, with the county grant funding 50 percent, officials said.

The county is expected to award the contract to Federal Signal later this month, according to records.

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