Storm Siren Data
The information in the chart that follows was gathered by the WCCO I-TEAM from January through the middle of April,
primarily from county emergency managers across the state.
While every effort was made to get responses from counties and cities in that time frame, some may not be
represented. As time allows, we will continue to update this chart as information continues to come in.
If your county or city is not represented and you are interested in learning more about the sirens in your county, you
can contact your county emergency manager. The Department of Public Safety maintains a list of emergency
managers on its Web site.
COUNTY
Aitkin
Anoka
COUNTY RESPONSE
There are three sirens in Aitkin County. They are
in Aitkin, Big Sandy lake and East Lake. The
county does maintain records of whether the
sirens worked during tests. They are tested at 1
PM on the first Wednesday of each month.
There were no reported siren failures in 2004,
2005 or 2006 – the years for which WCCO
requested data. If a siren fails, the city of Aitkin
or the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe are contacted
and told to repair them. All sirens were operating
as of February 26, 2007 when we received this
county response.
The cities in Anoka County are responsible for
their own sirens. All of the cities in Anoka County
that have sirens contract with a company called
Embedded Systems, Inc. Embedded Systems
runs silent siren tests a minimum of once a week
and reports to the cities that own the sirens if
problems are found. During storm season, the
company makes service calls within 48 hours if
problems are detected. Service calls are made
within five business days outside of storm
season. The company is also responsible for
preventative maintenance on the sirens. Anoka
County doesn't maintain any independent
monthly testing data even though the sirens are
sounded the first Wednesday of each month.
CITY RESPONSE
Andover – Andover has 12 sirens and the records
from Embedded Systems show sirens are working
and promptly repaired if problems are detected in
accordance with the Embedded Systems contract.
Anoka – The records from Embedded Systems
show sirens are working and promptly repaired if
problems are detected in accordance with the
Embedded Systems contract.
Bethel – No information provided.
Blaine – The city of Blaine had one inoperable
siren as of February 17, 2007 when they
responded to the WCCO request for information.
That siren was taken offline by Connexus Energy
while a major electrical rerouting was in the works.
The siren should be back on line in April. Even
with that siren out of commission, people should
be protected because there is some coverage
overlap with the surrounding sirens. The records
from Embedded Systems show sirens are working
and promptly repaired if problems are detected in
accordance with the Embedded Systems contract.
Centerville -- The records from Embedded
Systems show sirens are working and promptly
repaired if problems are detected in accordance
with the Embedded Systems contract.
Circle Pines – Circle Pines has 2 sirens. The
records from Embedded Systems show sirens are
working and promptly repaired if problems are
detected in accordance with the Embedded
Systems contract.
Columbia Heights – The city has 4 sirens which
cover Columbia Heights and Hilltop. Tests are
done the first Wednesday of the month, in addition
to the testing done by Embedded Systems. The
records from Embedded Systems show sirens are
working and promptly repaired if problems are
detected in accordance with the Embedded
Systems contract. In 2005, the decoder boards of
all four sirens were upgraded.
Coon Rapids -- The records from Embedded
Systems show sirens are working and promptly
repaired if problems are detected in accordance
with the Embedded Systems contract.
East Bethel – The sirens in East Bethel are new
and were operationally ready in 2006. The city
reports few malfunctions or breakdowns. One
siren that was malfunctioning after several tests
turned out to have a problem with a circuit board
which was replaced within a week of the
malfunction.
Fridley – Fridley has 8 sirens. The records from
Embedded Systems show sirens are working and
promptly repaired if problems are detected in
accordance with the Embedded Systems contract.
All sirens were operating as of Feb. 14, 2007
when the city responded to the WCCO request.
Fridley's siren system was upgraded a little more
than 3 years ago and the city notes no major
problems since then, just minor electrical issues.
All the sirens in Fridley have battery backup.
Ham Lake – There are 13 sirens in Ham Lake.
The records from Embedded Systems show
sirens are working and promptly repaired if
problems are detected in accordance with the
Embedded Systems contract. As of Feb. 23, 2007,
the date the city responded to the WCCO request,
the city was aware of no problems with its sirens.
Lexington -- The records from Embedded
Systems show sirens are working and promptly
repaired if problems are detected in accordance
with the Embedded Systems contract.
Lino Lakes – No information provided.
Oak Grove -- The records from Embedded
Systems show sirens are working and promptly
repaired if problems are detected in accordance
with the Embedded Systems contract.
Ramsey – The city of Ramsey has 17 sirens. The
records from Embedded Systems show sirens are
working and promptly repaired if problems are
detected in accordance with the Embedded
Systems contract.
St. Francis – There are two sirens in St. Francis.
The records from Embedded Systems show
sirens are working and promptly repaired if
problems are detected in accordance with the
Embedded Systems contract.
Spring Lake Park – No information provided.
Becker
Beltrami
Benton
Big Stone
Blue Earth
Brown
Becker county has zero sirens. In the event of
severe weather, the means of emergency alert
would be broadcasts on local radio and cable
television.
Beltrami County does not maintain any records
on whether sirens worked during tests or actual
severe weather events. The county referred us
to the cities for answers. Cities in Beltrami
County include Bemidji, Red Lake, Little Rock,
Redby, Ponemah, Blackduck and Kelliher
The data provided by Benton County did not
appear to apply to sirens. The county provided
WCCO with Emergency Responder Data not
related to sirens. Two calls were placed to the
county emergency manager to clarify the data
that was provided. The calls were not returned.
Big Stone County did not respond to this
request, although the county indicated it was
working on a response on March 8, 2007.
There are 23 sirens in the county and they are
owned and maintained by the cities. Tests are
done the first Wednesday of the month, but the
county does not maintain any records showing
whether sirens worked during testing or actual
severe weather events. In the instance the
county is notified that a failure has occurred, for
example by a citizen, the emergency manager
for the county contacts the city involved and
informs them that its siren might not be working.
It is then at the city's discretion to fix it. To the
best of the emergency manager's knowledge,
and as of March 16, 2007, all the sirens were
working. This county includes the cities of
Amboy, Eagle Lake, Good Thunder, Lake
Crystal, Mankato, Madison Lake, Mapleton,
Pemberton, Skyline, St. Clair, Lime Township,
and Southbend Township.
Brown County does not maintain records that
would show the success or failure of sirens
during testing or severe weather. The county
indicated to WCCO that the cities would maintain
such records, if they exist.
Hanska – The city of Hanska doesn't have a
traditional storm siren, but has what's known as a
fire whistle. Fire whistles are commonly used to
notify volunteer firefighters to come to the station
to respond to a fire call. The whistle serves double
duty, as it's also used as a storm siren.
New Ulm – The city of New maintains records of
siren testing and on the instances in the last three
calendar years when sirens were broken, the were
repaired in a timely manner.
Springfield – Springfield has six sirens and they
are tested the first Wednesday of each month,
except for the months of December, January and
February. Cold weather can damage the sirens.
This city maintains records. There were no
problems with sirens in 2004, one of the six sirens
failed in 2005 and was out of service for
approximately one month. In 2006, two sirens
failed. The repair dates for those two sirens were
requested by WCCO on March 8, 2007, but have
not been provided. The city notes that all siren
failures were discovered during testing, not during
actual storms.
Sleepy Eye – No information provided.
Comfrey – This city indicated it was gathering the
information, however WCCO never received any
information.
Carlton
Carver
Carlton County does not maintain records that
would show the success or failure of sirens
during testing or severe weather. The county's
emergency manager indicated cities are
responsible for their sirens and may have
information. The cities with sirens are Cloquet,
Moose Lake, Wrenshall, Barnum, Carlton, and
Kettle River. The emergency manager noted
weather radios are a much better way to
communicate to people in outlying rural areas.
There are 38 sirens in Carver County. As of
January 31, 2007, the emergency manager for
the county indicated that to the best of his
knowledge, they were all operable. At the time of
WCCO's request in January, the county did not
keep track of the success or failure of sirens,
however the form indicating testing is being
revamped so there will be notation of inoperable
sirens in cities. Sirens in Carver County are
tested every month except December and
January, due to the increased likelihood of
damage to sirens during cold weather.
Chaska – Chaska keeps records of its sirens
operability. Those records show sirens are wellmaintained and repairs are timely.
Chanhassen – The city of Chanhassen has nine
sirens and originally told WCCO the county
maintains records for testing, including records for
success and failure, which is not true. The city
believed this to be true because it reports all its
siren data to Carver county emergency
management. Chanhassen has a maintenance
contract with siren manufacturer Federal Signal's
subcontractor, Electrical Installation and
Maintenance. The city pays that subcontractor
$2,250 to maintain the sirens, remove birds' nests
and fix problems. The city says repairs are made
quickly. The city provided some records, but noted
that it's instituting new policies so there will be
written documentation of sirens not working and
when repairs are made.
Carver – On Feb. 17, 2007, the city of Carver
indicated information would be sent. WCCO did
not receive any information.
Cologne – Cologne has two sirens. The city
doesn't keep records on when they are tested, or
what the results of the testing are. The city does
send someone to check the sirens during testing
to make sure they're working and are both rotating
and audible. The person in charge of the city
sirens said he couldn't remember a time when the
sirens didn't work, but again said they do not keep
written records of success or failure. One of the
two sirens was installed relatively recently and the
city has had no problems with it. That siren is not
digital.
Hamburg – Hamburg has one siren and it was
installed in 2004. WCCO is told it has not failed
since installation, however no records were
provided for documentation.
Mayer – Mayer has one siren and it's blown every
day at noon. If it doesn't go off, we're told it is
fixed. There are no written records of success or
failure, although the city indicates the siren was
repaired last year because it wasn't rotating; it was
only sounding. Mayer is looking at investing in two
new sirens because the one they have is old.
Also, the area is growing. Federal Signal, a siren
manufacturer, came to Mayer to advise the city
what type of sirens to purchase and where to
place them. The city hopes to get new sirens in
the next few months.
Norwood Young America – No information
provided.
New Germany – No information provided.
Victoria – We received a response in February,
but it was missing data on whether the city had
any inoperable sirens or any records documenting
repairs. A call was placed Feb. 17, 2007 to clarify
the information that was sent, but WCCO never
received additional information.
Waconia – Received a call from the city inquiring
what information the county already provided. He
was told they had little information and that the
city should provide documentation of siren
success and failure. That was on Feb. 17, 2007.
WCCO never received the information.
Watertown – No information provided.
Cass
Chippewa
WCCO was told by the county emergency
manager that the cities would have the
information we’re seeking on siren success and
failure. The county doesn’t maintain such
records. WCCO was not told which cities in this
county have sirens.
The emergency manager for this county
indicates if it were ever to be informed by the
cities of siren failures, it would be during actual
storm warnings. The county doesn't require
notification from cities as to whether sirens
worked during testing. No records are
maintained. Tests are done the first Wednesday
of each month. Siren testing is initiated with an
alert from the Regional State Highway Patrol
District. Every county in the district is then
notified testing is taking place. The sirens for the
cities of Milan and Montevideo are then activated
at the public service answering point. The other
three communities with sirens are notified by
radio. This spring, the siren in the city of Watson
will also be activated from the public service
answering point. The emergency manager says
he's never been told any of the sirens failed
during severe weather. Cities are responsible to
get sirens back inot operation quickly. The
Clara City – Clara City has three sirens. They are
tested by the public works director the first
Wednesday of each month. They are also
sounded during tornado awareness week. No
records of success or failure are kept, however
the person in charge of the sirens says he's been
there sixteen years and that sirens are fixed right
away if they're broken. He notes malfunctioning
fuses are usually to blame for problems. He
recalls one of the sirens was down for a week in
2006 and it needed a new starter, otherwise the
sirens are in good repair and are all currently
working. Clara City puts money away every year
to update their sirens because they are very old.
They are in contact with Federal Warning Systems
Inc. of Rochester for information on new and used
sirens available for purchase.
Maynard – Maynard has one siren and it's
sounded every day at noon, 6 PM and 9 PM. It is
county says cities would notify the public if a
siren couldn't be repaired immediately. The
emergency manager believed that all the sirens
in the county were operating as of Feb. 1, 2007.
also tested the first Wednesday of the month. It
can be set off by fire department handheld radios
or from the city offices in Montevideo. The only
problem the city has ever had, to the best of the
city clerk's recollection, is that during the daylight
savings time switchover this year, the siren
sounded an hour early for one day. The
manufacturer was contacted and it was fixed. The
city believed the county maintained any testing
records showing success or failure that exist,
however it does not. The city had no records of
success or failure either.
Montevideo – There are four sirens in Montevideo.
Testing is done every month. It is the city's
understanding that no official records of testing
are kept noting success or failure of sirens, but
that the county dispatch center logs would note
the monthly testing occurred. The city says the
sirens have worked the last three years, based on
recollection. The city fully funds repairs for sirens
and no repair is delayed. Some of the sirens are
new since 2001 and 2004 and only normal
maintenance has been performed on them.
Chisago
Chisago County does nota maintain records of
siren operability during tests or severe weather
events. The county emergency manager referred
us to the cities with sirens for records. The
sheriff for the county believes all the sirens are
currently working.
Watson – Watson is getting a new siren this
spring.
Center City – There are two sirens in this city. The
city says they are working as of March 14, 2007.
No records on the sirens are kept, but the city
says since the sirens are technically fire whistles
which are used to call firefighters to the station for
calls, the city would know immediately if a siren
was inoperable. Sirens are set off by the county.
The city has no written policy regarding repair of
its sirens, however the city says they would be
fixed quickly.
Chisago City – No information provided.
Harris – No information.
Lindstrom – Lindstrom has two sirens. The county
tests them the first Wednesday of the month. The
city does not maintain test records showing
whether or not sirens worked and though the
county did. The city does not, however, report to
the county, the results of the siren tests. The city
says it repairs sirens if need be and would report a
malfunctioning siren to the county. The city was
unaware of any times in the past three years that
a siren failed. One of them was replaced 4-5 years
ago. The sirens are reportedly working currently.
Sirens do not have battery backup.
North Branch – This city has 5 sirens. They are
tested by Chisago County dispatch once a month.
The police department sends officers out to
visually check that the sirens are working. The city
doesn't maintain records showing siren operability.
The police chief believed the county maintained
such records since the city would notify the county
of an inoperable siren via radio. The sirens in
North Branch do have battery backup. The recalls
no issue with the sirens in 2004, 2005 or 2006, the
period for which WCCO requested data. The city
would fix sirens immediately if repairs were
required. All sirens were working as of March 14,
2007.
Rush Lake – There is no siren in Rush Lake.
Shafer – There is one siren in this city. It is
activated by the county and tested the first
Wednesday of the month. City employees who
work across the street from the siren listen to hear
if it sounds. Those employees recall it working all
of the past 3 years, however no records are kept.
The city maintains the sirens and performs repairs
as necessary. The city recently annexed over 300
acres and is currently looking at the possibility of
installing an additional siren to service some of the
remote areas the siren may not now reach.
Stacy – No information provided
Taylors Falls – There is one siren here. It is tested
by the county the first Wednesday of the month.
The city keeps no records documenting success
or failure of the siren. In the past, if a siren has
been inoperable, a local electrical company is
called to fix it. The city recalls two times over the
past three to four years the siren has required
repair.
Wyoming – No information provided
Clay
The county of Clay retains records of siren
testing and success and failure. Cities keep
actual records of siren repair. The county does
note that some cities have the same sirens
failing repeatedly over months.
Barnesville – The city has one siren that is tested
the first Wednesday of the month. The city no
longer keeps records of the testing because it is
activated by radio frequency from the dispatch
center in Fargo, N.D. The siren however, is new
and was installed three years ago and the city
says there have been no failures, although that is
not documented. The siren would be fixed if
broken. There is also a backup siren which is in
working order.
Dilworth – No information provided.
Fargo, N.D. – No information provided.
Felton – No information provided.
Glyndon – No information provided.
Hawley – No information provided.
Hitterdal – No information provided.
Moorhead – There are 12 outdoor sirens in
Moorhead. They are tested through Red River
Regional Dispatch the first Wednesday of each
month. This is a one way system, meaning the
dispatch center cannot tell if the sirens actually
sounded when tested. There is no diagnostic or
logging capabilities at any of the siren locations.
Because of this, the city fire department schedules
units to observe sirens during the monthly tests if
someone is available. The city has no written
performance goals related to the observation of
the sirens during tests. There are no records of
success or failure for the sirens maintained by the
city. If a siren would be found non-operational, it
would be repaired by one of two licensed electrical
contracting firms in Moorhead experienced in
siren repair. As of March 14, none of the sirens
were working and two were not. The inoperable
siren in the softball fields has intermittent
problems and the one at River Haven Road has
had consistent problems. The city believes there
is a problem there with the radio receiving
equipment. The city scheduled a communications
vendor to check on that siren. WCCO is unsure as
to the status of the 12th siren as that information
was not provided. None of the sirens have battery
backup. The city considers this a problem and
new sirens coming in this and following years, this
issue will be considered. The city is unaware if
any sirens have failed during actual severe
weather.
Sabin – No information provided
Ulen – There is one siren in Ulen and it's tested
once a month. The city doesn't keep any records
of its operability. The city clerk believes it has
worked all of the last three years. The siren is
actually an old fire whistle, although it's no longer
used for that purpose. The county does call them
once a month to ask if the siren works. The mayor
would be the one to report if it isn't to the county.
West Fargo, N.D. – No information provided
Clearwater
Cook
Cottonwood
Crow Wing
WCCO requested information from this county in
January and resent its request in February. In
March, we checked on the status of the request.
WCCO never received any data from this
county.
There are no sirens in Cook county. Grand
Marais used to have one, but when it stopped
working, it was cost prohibitive to fix it.
The county sheriff's department dispatch logs
would note when sirens are tested, but not if
they worked. The county emergency manager
says cities would maintain operability data. Cities
in this county include Windom, Mountain Lake,
Westbrook, Jeffers, Starden and Bingham Lake,
although it is unknown how many of them have
sirens.
Countywide, there are 31 sirens. Counties with
sirens include Pequot Lakes, Cross Lake, Fifty
Lakes Township, Emily, Crosby, Ironton,
Deerwood, Garrison, Brainerd and Baxter. Some
have battery backup, others do not. Baxter is
Dakota
currently putting in a new siren and Brainerd is
on a plan to replace its old sirens over the next
three years. The county sheriff's department sets
them off the first Wednesday of each month. The
dispatchers then call each city to determine if
they went off, however according to the county's
emergency manager, the county does not
maintain records of working sirens. That would
be up to the cities. There is no written
requirement for cities to notify counties if one of
their sirens is not working.
The county does not maintain records of whether
or not sirens in the county are working, other
than those in the Emergency Planning Zone
around the Nuclear Plant. Rules exist requiring
the maintenance of those records. None of the
sirens in the Emergency Planning Zone have
been broken or repaired in the last three years,
according to the county emergency manager.
The cities themselves would maintain data on
whether or not their own sirens work.
Apple Valley – This city has 9 sirens. They are
tested the first Wednesday of the month, however
exceptions may be made for cold weather which
can damage the sirens. This city has the ability to
silently test the sirens any time from its police
station. An entry is made into the city's dispatch
log when a siren test is performed. No repairs
were needed in 2004 or 2006, but lightning
necessitated repairs on five sirens in the year
2005. Problems with those five sirens were
primarily noted during the monthly testing,
however on August 12, 2005, the siren at Cedar
Knolls Park was activated during a severe
thunderstorm warning and it sounded but didn't
rotate. Adequate coverage was provided by
surrounding sirens and repairs were made
promptly. There is no written policy, however the
city says it would repair inoperable sirens as soon
as possible and there is a city employee trained to
do repairs. All sirens were operating as of
February 27, 2007 when the city responded to
WCCO's request for information. All sirens have
batter backup in case of a power outage, and the
sirens also have voice capabilities.
Burnsville – The city has 15 sirens and a contract
with Nelcom Corporation. The contract ensures
sirens are promptly repaired if problems are
detected. To the best of the city emergency
manager's knowledge, no sirens have been
replaced in the last three years. Sirens are tested
the first Wednesday of the month at 1 PM. As of
March 5, 2007 when the city responded to
WCCO's request for information, all sirens were
working.
Eagan – The city of Eagan has 12 sirens and they
are tested the first Wednesday of each month.
The sirens were tested 29 times from 2004 to
2006. In that time, there were 7 instances in which
a siren either failed to rotate and/or sound.
Additionally, a radio problem prevented any of the
sirens from wounding on February 4, 2004
because the tone to activate them was not sent
properly. The policy of the city is to repair sirens
promptly and repair records were made available
to WCCO. The city of Eagan also invests about
$19,000 and year and another $0.23 a call for an
emergency notification system which can call
residents with a prerecorded message alerting
them to severe weather or other emergencies. To
the city's knowledge, the city is the only one in the
state using this program.
Farmington – There are seven sirens in this city
with an eighth planned for 2007. The sirens are
tested the first Wednesday of the month at 1 PM.
The city makes every attempt to have someone
visually observe the sirens in operation, but
sometimes can't because of staffing levels. No
records are kept of siren testing or activation of
sirens during weather events. If a siren was to be
working improperly, it would be fixed. There was
one repair in 2004, two in 2005 and one due to a
lightning strike in 2006. As of February 28, 2007
when the city responded to WCCO's request, all
the sirens were working.
Hastings – There are eight sirens in Hastings.
They are tested the first Wednesday of the month.
The city has a maintenance agreement with
Nelcom Radio who will respond to, inspect, and
repair any faulty sirens. That company also comes
out to do routine maintenance. The city provided
records showing any siren that required repair
was fixed within one month's time. The city has
been replacing older sirens for the past five years
and has one left that needs to be upgraded with
battery backup. It is scheduled to be upgraded this
year.
Inver Grove Heights – This city has four sirens.
They are tested the first Wednesday of the month
at 1 PM, except during some cold winter months.
The city doesn't maintain records of the success
or failure of its sirens during testing or activations
for sever weather events. City personnel do
monitor the sirens during testing and if problems
are found, they are fixed by outside repair
technicians. Siren repairs were performed twice in
the last three years and one new siren was
installed. As of February 28, 2007, when the city
responded to WCCO's request for information, all
sirens were working.
Lakeville – Lakeville has 19 sirens. The city has
records of the testing, but those records appear to
show some sirens do go unchecked. In most
instances, the records show if a siren wasn't
working one month, it was working the next. All
sirens were operating as of February 27, 2007
when the city responded to WCCO's request for
information.
Mendota Heights – There are five sirens and they
are tested the first Wednesday of each month. A
note is made in the dispatch log at the time of the
test. For the three year period WCCO inquired
about (2004, 2005, 2006), repairs were necessary
for two sirens – the ones at Wentworth Park and
Lemay Lake Road. Problems with those sirens
were found during monthly testing. The city
repairs inoperable sirens as quickly as possible.
The city contracts on an annual basis with a
private vendor to repair broken sirens. Currently,
the Lemay Lake siren is inoperable, however a
replacement siren was budgeted for replacement
in 2007. The siren there sounds, but it doesn't
rotate. The city says there is additional coverage
in the area so people would still be adequately
warned of severe weather.
Rosemount – There are thirteen sirens and they
are tested the first Wednesday of the month. In
the past three years, two sirens have been
replaced. Another three have been repaired. The
inoperable sirens were predominately discovered
during monthly testing. Repairs are done through
a private vendor that is typically able to check and
repair sirens within 10-14 days of being notified of
a problem. Replacement of a destroyed siren
takes longer. All sirens were operating as of
February 28, 2007, the date the city responded to
WCCO's request for information.
South St. Paul -- the city has five sirens and they
are tested the first Wednesday of the month and
in connection with Tornado Awareness Week. The
city doesn't maintain records of testing and
thought the sheriff's office did. Documentation was
provided showing repair calls were made to
service sirens four times in the last three years.
Twice, the sirens were found to be operational,
the breaker was thrown in another instance and
the receiver had malfunctioned in the last incident.
The police chief's office is notified of any siren
problems. All sirens are working as of February
28, 2007, the date the city responded to the
WCCO request for information.
Dodge
In Dodge County, the cities would maintain
records regarding the operability of sirens. The
county does not.
West St. Paul – The city has three sirens. They
are tested the first Wednesday of the month. The
911 dispatchers inquire of the city as to whether
the sirens worked. Any siren that doesn't sound is
then brought to the attention of the city. All sirens
were functioning properly as of February 28, 2007
when the city responded to the WCCO request for
information. All of the sirens were recently
replaced and maintenance inspections are
scheduled on them every three years. During the
installation process of the last of the three sirens,
a disparity in the receiving frequency was
discovered and fixed and no problems have been
detected since.
Claremont – There is one siren in Claremont. It is
tested the first Wednesday of the month at 1 PM.
The city does not maintain records showing the
siren's operability, however the city says it knows
of no failures in the last three years (2004, 2005
and 2006), the time period for which WCCO
requested data. Sirens that are broken would be
fixed immediately although that policy is not in
writing. The siren is currently working.
Dodge Center – No information provided.
Hayfield – No information provided.
Kasson – There are two sirens in Kasson. They
are tested the first Wednesday of the month by
Dodge County. The city does not maintain records
showing whether sirens worked or not during
testing or actual activations for storms. Immediate
repair would be performed on broken sirens.
Mantorville – No information provided.
West Concord – No information provided.
Douglas
Faribault
Fillmore
This county does maintain records of siren tests
and notes with some frequency whether the
cities' sirens sounded, however not all sirens are
always verified to be working at the time of the
tests. If there is no one available to report if the
siren is working, it doesn't appear to be noted.
WCCO requested information in January,
checked back on our request in February, and in
March was told the information would be sent.
WCCO never received the information from this
county.
Fillmore county does not maintain records of
siren tests and/or operability. The county
indicated cities would maintain that information.
Canton – No information provided.
Chatfield – No information provided.
Fountain – No information provided.
Harmony – No information provided.
Mabel – No information provided.
Lanesboro – The city has two sirens and they
sound every day at noon. Records of the
activations are not kept. There are three
employees who are firefighters who verify the
sirens work during emergency situations. One
siren went down in the last three years but the
other one worked while the broken one was being
repaired. Immediate repairs are made if the sirens
aren't working.
Peterson – There is one siren and it is tested once
a month from May-October. The siren has been
100% successful in the three years WCCO
requested information for (2004, 2005 and 2006).
If a siren were to be broken, Norman's Electric
would fix it promptly.
Preston – Siren records show testing is done the
first Wednesday of the month. Notations for two
siren problems were provided. The problems were
fixed promptly.
Rushford – WCCO received a response but
information on when sirens didn't operate and
when those sirens were repaired was missing.
WCCO was told that information, as well as a
description of the types of sirens the city has
would be sent. After more follow-up, the material
was never received.
Spring Valley – The city has not, in the past, kept
maintenance records, however WCCO was told
we'd be sent what existed. WCCO never received
any written records.
Wykoff – No information provided.
Freeborn
The county doesn't maintain siren testing and/or
records of success or failure. The county says
the city would have that information.
Albert Lea – There are 16 sirens and they are
tested the first Wednesday of the month. Records
of whether sirens work during tests are not kept. If
a siren does fail, an electrician is contacted the
day of the failure. All sirens were working as of
February 17, 2007 when the city responded to
WCCO's request for information. The city guesses
siren repairs are probably made about four times
a year. The city does send someone out to make
sure the sirens are working before storm season
starts.
Albin – No information provided.
Clarks Grove – No information provided.
Emmons – No information provided.
Freeborn – This city has one siren and it is tested
twice a month. The city doesn't have any records
of testing or whether a siren worked then or if
activated in severe weather. The county sets the
sirens off, unless a trained weather spotter detects
a cloud, then the city might sound the siren itself.
As of March 9, 2007, the siren was not working.
There was moisture in it in February and it froze
up. This is problem about once a year and it is
usually repaired in a week. The siren has never
failed to work during severe weather according to
the city, though no records are kept.
Geneva – No information provided.
Hayward – No information provided.
Hollandale – No information provided.
Manchester – No information provided.
Myrtle – No information provided.
Goodhue
This county does not maintain records of the
operability of sirens during testing or severe
weather events. The county emergency
manager says the cities would have that
information.
Some sirens in this county fall into the
Emergency Planning Zone around the Prairie
Island Nuclear Plant. Weekly tests are
Twin Lakes – No information provided.
Cannon Falls – No information provided.
Goodhue – No information received.
Kenyon – The city believed the county would have
the information on whether its sirens were
working. It does not. The city says the sirens have
had no operational failures in the last three years,
however it doesn't have records showing that. The
performed and records kept, although the plant
maintains no records on whether sirens
sounding during actual severe weather.
city has an unwritten policy to repair sirens as
quickly as possible.
Pine Island – WCCO was told on February 21,
2007 that a response was being put together.
Information was never received.
Red Wing – The Prairie Island Nuclear Generating
Plant maintains 26 sirens in the city of Red Wing.
They are all for coverage within 10 miles of the
Emergency Planning Zone for the plant. They are
tested on a weekly basis and records of tests are
required. Tests on those sirens are done weekly,
whether audibly or silently. Prairie Island
maintains the records of testing and the plan is
routinely audited and inspected for completeness
and accuracy by the Nuclear Management
Company and Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
While the routine testing provides high assurance
sirens would perform as require during severe
weather warnings, the Prairie Island Nuclear
Generating Plant doesn't maintain records of the
actual siren performance during those weather
events. If any sirens are found to be inoperable,
they are usually repaired within 24 hours.
Wanamingo – No information provided.
Zumbrota – This city refused to submit a response
to WCCO in writing, but indicated there are seven
sirens in the city and they are tested the first
Wednesday of the month. No records for this
testing are kept, however the police and city staff
check the sirens to see if they are working. If
repairs are needed, Whitewater Wireless comes
to fix the sirens immediately. Billing records would
be the only records that would exist showing
inoperable sirens being repaired. All sirens were
working as of February 17, 2007 when WCCO
received the city's response to the request for
information. The sheriff's department sounds the
sirens.
Grant
Hennepin
The county maintains records that document
when sirens were tested and whether they
worked. The county was able to provide records
for the year 2006. The Elbow Lake siren at the
fire hall did not work in June of 2006, and the city
was notified twice to repair it. It was working fine
by the August drill.
The county says the cities would be responsible
for maintaining records on whether or not their
sirens work. The county does have the capability
to tell if the siren tests are successful, however
the county doesn't maintain records of the sirens'
success or failure.
There are 232 sirens in the county. All of the
cities with sirens in Hennepin County contract
with a company called Embedded Systems, Inc.
Embedded Systems runs silent siren tests a
minimum of once a week and reports to the
cities that own the sirens if problems are found.
During storm season, the company makes
service calls within 48 hours if problems are
detected. Service calls are made within five
business days outside of storm season. The
company is also responsible for preventative
maintenance on the sirens.
In addition to the data the cities maintain from
Embedded Systems, some go even further to log
monthly severe weather siren test results.
Houston
Hubbard
Isanti
Some cities in Hennepin County do still have
sirens without battery back up. Most cities have
at least some sirens that would work if the power
goes out.
The county does not maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens. The county indicated
the cities would maintain such records of they
exist.
The county does not maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens. The county indicated
the cities would maintain such records of they
exist.
This county maintains records of operation for
the six sirens located in Cambridge, Isanti, Isanti
Estates (Athens) and Braham.* The county
emergency manager points out that the cities
should also maintain these records. Siren tests
records are on file with Emergency Management
in Isanti County. A copy of the most recent test
was sent which shows four sirens operational.
This test record was from February 7, 2007.
* -- Isanti’s data was incorrectly reported by
WCCO-TV in the original story. WCCO originally
reported the county didn't keep test records.
La Crescent – No information provided.
Spring Grove – No information provided.
Caledonia – There are three sirens in the city and
they're tested once a month. The city believed the
county would have records of the testing and
whether the sirens worked, which the county does
not have. The city says they have had no siren
failures for the three years WCCO requested data
(2004, 2005, 2006), however there is no
documentation of that. All the sirens were working
as of March 21, 2007 when the city responded to
WCCO's request for information. If sirens were
broken, they would be repaired immediately.
Park Rapids – The city has one siren. It is tested
by the county and the city believed the county
would have records, which it does not. Repairs to
broken sirens would be done immediately. The
siren was working as of March 12, 2007 when the
city responded to WCCO's request for information.
The city says it has only been down once in 13
years and was fixed immediately.
Nevis – Attempts were made to get information
from this city and to answer questions from the
city regarding WCCO's request, however no
information was ever received.
Braham – The city has one siren which is tested
the first Wednesday of the month. The city
believed the county had records of the sirens
operability, which it does not. The city is not aware
of any failures of the siren during severe weather,
although records indicating such are not kept.
Repairs to broken sirens would be made
immediately. The siren is also used to dispatch
fire calls.
Cambridge – There are three sirens in Cambridge
and they are tested the first Wednesday of each
month. Public Works employees are stationed at
each siren to check for any problems. The city is
unaware of any failures during siren activations for
severe weather. If a siren is ever found to be in
disrepair, the city's public works department can
usually fix it, or would contact electricians to do
the work. All of this would be completed as soon
as possible. Sirens are all operating as of March
21, 2007. The sirens are all battery operated and
only use AC power to charge the batteries.
Isanti – No information provided other than the city
has two sirens.
Isanti Estates – No information provided other
than that there is one siren here.
Itasca
Jackson
The county does not maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens. The county indicated
the cities would maintain such records of they
exist. Cities in this county include Grand Rapids,
Cohasset, Keewatin, Coleraine, Nashwauk, Deer
River, and Marble.
The county does not maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens. The county indicated
the cities would maintain such records of they
exist.
Alpha – There is one siren in Alpha and it is tested
monthly by the county. The siren has failed twice
due to ice and once when struck by lightning. The
city got a back up in place immediately. Repairs
are always made as soon as possible. No
documentation on how long repairs took was
provided.
Heron Lake – No information provided.
Jackson – There are six sirens in this community
of 3800 people. The sirens are tested monthly by
the county. When they don't work, there are city
maintenance crews to check them out. The sirens
are all battery operated. The city notes that can be
a problem in that if they've been sounded a few
times, the battery would need to be charged
before being resounded. No written records of
siren functionality are kept other than repair bills.
The city would fix sirens promptly if the need
arose. One of the sirens was down for several
months last year and had to returned to the
manufacturer. That siren is currently working. You
may or may not be able to hear another siren in
the distance if one goes down. The city
recommends people use weather radios and not
depend solely on the sirens to alert them to
severe weather.
Lakefield – No information provided.
Okabena – No information provided.
Kanabec
Kandiyohi
WCCO sent a request for information in January
and tried to follow up with the emergency
manager in February, March and April. No
information was ever received for this county.
Sirens are tested the first Wednesday of the
month. Within the county there was only one
problem siren which they continually tried to fix
in 2006. Even with that siren not working, the
area still had coverage. The county assigns
specific people to listen for the siren and report if
it's not working. Records of this are kept. The
only potential problem with their recordkeeping
system is that if the person responsible for those
reports isn't there, the report doesn't get filled
Kittson
out. There are some instances of that. The
county contracts with a local repair company for
repair to broken sirens.
The county does not maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens. The county indicated
the cities would maintain such records of they
exist. The communities set their own policies for
when sirens are sounded. Most have a 10 AM,
noon and 6 PM whistle that they sound every
day. Those sirens also act as fire whistles to
notify firefighters of calls. Most communities are
also getting pagers for emergencies or have
pagers now.
Hallock – There are 2 sirens and they are tested
every time they have a fire and once a year in
April during Severe Weather Awareness week.
The city says the sirens have sounded all of 2004,
2005 and 2006 although no records exist to
document that. Hallock Electric is contacted for
repairs if there is a problem with the sirens. Both
sirens were operating as of April 2007.
Lancaster – No response provided.
Kennedy – No response provided.
Lake Bronson – No response provided.
Karlstad – No response provided.
Koochiching
Lac qui Parle
Lake
Lake of the
Woods
Le Sueur
The county does not maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens. The county indicated
the cities would maintain such records of they
exist. The cities in this county include
International Falls, Littlefork, Big Falls,
Northome, Ranier and Mizpah.
There are six sirens in six communities in this
county. They are city-owned and they are tested
every Monday at 6 PM and the first Wednesday
of each month. WCCO was told the testing is
recorded on law enforcement logs, which the
county did not provide. In March, we inquired as
to whether the county maintains data on those
logs indicating whether the sirens worked during
testing and WCCO received no response,
however the emergency manager for this county
was overseas for the month of March. The
communities in this county that have sirens are
Dawson, Madison, Bellingham, Nassau, Boyd,
Marietta and Louisburg.
The county does not maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens. The county indicated
the cities would maintain such records of they
exist.
There are 5 sirens in this county. Four are in
Baudette and one is in Williams. The sirens were
operational as of February 22, 2007 when the
county responded to WCCO's request for
information. The fact that siren testing occurred
is recorded in the daily log of calls, however no
records of success or failure of individual sirens
during activations for severe weather or tests is
recorded. Repairs are performed as needed
however there are no written requirements for
repair of an inoperable siren.
The county does maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens and the records were
provided to WCCO. Records show sirens in
good repair.
Cleveland – Sirens are sounded the first
Wednesday of the month. The county sheriff's
departments call the cities to determine if the
sirens sounded. The city would take immediate
action to repair any broken sirens. The city says
repairs were needed only once in the last three
years. The Broadway Street siren didn't work in
December 2005. It was put back into service.
Elysian -– This city has two warning sirens. They
are sounded on the first Wednesday of the month.
The city is contacted by the Sheriff's Department
to determine if the siren sounded. The city would
take immediate action to repair any broken sirens.
The sirens have never failed to sound. There was
one occasion when a siren failed to turn off.
Heidlberg –- This city owns one siren that is
operated by the Le Sueur County Sheriff's Office
with assistance from the Montgomery Police
Department. The siren is tested the first
Wednesday of the month. WCCO is told it has
never failed to sound.
Kasota – The letter we sent to the city was
returned to WCCO as undeliverable. Further
attempts to send the letter were also
unsuccessful.
Kilkenny -– This city owns and operates one siren.
It is tested the first Wednesday of the month. The
County Sheriff's Department calls the city to
determine if it sounded. The city would take
immediate action to repair the siren if it was found
to be broken. The siren did not work when tested
on May 4, 2005, but has since been repaired and
is back in service.
Lake Washington -– There is one siren located on
lake Washington (Conner's Point). It is owned by
the Lake Washington Lake Association and is
operated by the Blue Earth County Sheriff's
Department is in Blue Earth County.
Montgomery – The city has three sirens. The
sirens serve as the noon fire whistles in addition to
sounding for severe weather. Testing is done the
first Wednesday of each month and for Severe
Weather Awareness week. There was one siren
failure during a test period in 2005 and it was fixed
promptly.
Lincoln
The county does not maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens. The county indicated
the cities would maintain such records of they
exist.
Waterville -– The city owns and operates three
sirens. The siren is tested the first Wednesday of
every month. The Sheriff's Department calls the
city to determine if the siren sounded. The city
would immediately repair a broken siren. One of
the sirens did not sound in the Feb. 4, 2004 test,
but has since been repaired and is operational.
Arco – The city's siren went down last year. The
city then purchased NOAA weather radios for all
its residents to buy from the city at a discounted
rate so that citizens would be informed of severe
weather. The siren itself was too expensive for the
city to fix. 27 of the 47 households in the city have
the radios and they were purchased by residents
for $32.00 a piece.
Hendricks – No information provided.
Ivanhoe – No information provided.
Lake Benton – No information provided.
Lyon
Lyon county requires the county be notified by
cities if they have inoperable sirens, however the
county doesn't keep records. A note is placed
temporarily in dispatch if a city's siren is not
working. Those notes are not kept. The
emergency manager for the county told WCCO
that sirens are just a small part of
communication to warn the public and, in her
opinion, are not a very effective tool. They are
designed to be heard only by people outdoors
and NOAA weather radios are much more
effective for notification.
Ballotin – No information provided.
Cottonwood – There are four sirens and they are
tested the first Wednesday of the month. No
records of testing or repairs are kept by the city,
although the city believes there have been no
failures during an emergency situation. Repairs
would be performed immediately if required. All
sirens were working as of March 14, 2007 when
the city responded to this request.
Garvin – No information provided.
Ghent – There is one siren here and it is sounded
by the county and tested once a month. The city
does not maintain records of testing or operability
of the siren. The city notes that when needed, the
siren has worked and if it didn't, it would be fixed
immediately. It used to be set off twice day.
Lynd – Lynd has 2 sirens and the city believes the
county keeps records of the testing which
happens the first Wednesday of the month. The
city performs any necessary repairs in a timely
manner and notes repairs are not required often.
To the best of the city's recollection, the sirens
have worked all of 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Marshall – There are 8 sirens. No records of the
functionality of the sirens during testing or
activations for severe weather are kept. Normally,
the public will notify the city if a siren doesn't
sound when tested. One siren was retired two
years ago after it was determined it was too old to
repair. The sirens all have battery backup and the
two new ones are solar powered. It usually takes
about two work days to repair any inoperable
sirens. The city believes sirens have always
worked during storm warnings. This city has the
"Storm Ready" designation issued by the National
Weather Service in Sioux Falls. The city can also
do cable interrupts to notify citizens of storm
warnings.
Minneota – No information provided.
Tracy – There are four sirens in the city and they
are activated by the county. Only 2 of the four are
battery operated and would work if the power went
out. The sirens are tested at 1 PM the first
Wednesday of each month, except during the
winter. The police chief checks them himself to
make sure they work, although no records are
kept, other than a notation in the chief's daily
patrol log. The chief says sirens have worked on
every occasion they've been activated in the last
three years. If a siren were inoperable, the repair
would be done by a local electrician. Consultation
would then be done on a daily basis until it was
back up and running.
Taunton – No information provided.
Russell – There is one siren in this city and it is
tested once a month. The city maintains no
records of testing or operability of the siren during
testing or activations for severe weather. The
siren was replaced in August 2006.
Mahnomen
Marshall
Martin
This county tests the sirens, but did not get back
to WCCO as to whether records of such testing
are kept.
The county does not maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens. The county indicated
the cities would maintain such records of they
exist.
The county does not maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens, although repair
records could be located through cities. The
county indicated the cities would maintain such
records of functionality. There are 19 sirens in
the county. Some have battery backup and
some do not. Sirens are tested the first
Wednesday of the month. They are also tested
during Severe Weather Awareness Week. The
county emergency manager estimates maybe
one siren a year needs some type of service.
One was repaired last summer.
Ceylon – No response provided.
Dunnel – No response provided.
Fairmont – No response provided.
Grenada – No response provided.
Northrup – No response provided.
Sherburne – No response provided.
Trimont – No response provided.
Truman – The city says none of the sirens have
been broken and needed repair in the last three
years.
Welcome – No response provided.
McLeod
Meeker
There are about 25 sirens in this county. There
are no sirens in the rural areas of McLeod
County. As of March 27, 2007, the county
emergency manager told WCCO that all sirens
were currently operating. Records for testing
were provided and the sheriff's office makes
every attempt to verify with cities if the sirens
sounded. They do this by calling people in the
various cities to see if anyone hard them.
Records are kept of that as well. The Biscay
siren had some problems in 2004 which were
fixed within what appears to be three months.
Sirens are located in Biscay, Brownton, Glencoe,
Hutchinson, Lester Prairie, Plato, Silver Lake,
Stewart and Winsted.
Meeker County has 18 sirens. One new siren is
also about to be installed in Kingston. About half
the sirens in the county have battery backup and
half do not. Sirens with battery backup are
Dassel, Eden Valley (2 of 3), and Litchfield (7).
Logs of testing are kept. They show very few
problems in the past three years. There were 24
calls for service to the sirens in the years of
2004, 2005 and 2006. They were all fixed
promptly. The sirens were set off for severe
weather three times – once in 2004 and twice in
Mille Lacs
2005. They sheriff has been trying to get all the
cities to invest in battery backup for their sirens,
because they did have an incident years back
when one didn't work during severe weather.
The county does not maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens. The county indicated
the cities would maintain such records of they
exist.
Isle – No information provided.
Milaca – No information provided.
Onamia – There is one siren in this city. It is
tested through the sheriff's department once a
month. No test records or records of success and
failure are maintained by the city. If the siren were
to not work, it would be repaired as soon as
possible. The siren is currently working as of
February 27, 2007 when the city responded to
WCCO's request for information. Although there
are no records to show it, the city says the siren
was struck by lightning a few years ago and had
to be fixed.
Princeton – No information provided.
South Harbor Township – There are 4 sirens in
this city. The county tests them once a month. The
city believes the county would have records of the
tests and whether they worked, but the county
does not. Broken sirens would be fixed
immediately. All sirens were working as of March
21, 2007, the date the city responded to WCCO's
request for information.
Morrison
Mower
Murray
There are ten sirens in this county. Nine are
automated and one is manual, meaning it is
sounded by an individual. Testing is done the
first Wednesday of the month. Chosen residents
from each area where there is a siren have been
asked to contact the sheriff himself each month
to find out if the siren has gone off. The agency
does not maintain records, however, of siren
tests and/or failures during testing or severe
weather events. Inoperable sirens would,
however, be fixed immediately. Cities in this
county include Little Falls, Pierz, Royalton,
Randall, Swanburg, Motley, Harding.
There are 22 sirens in the county and they are
all operating as of March 16, 2007 according to
the county's emergency manager. The county
contracts with a company called Nel Com to do
remote monitoring and maintenance of the
sirens. Any problems are often found and
corrected prior to official testing. If a siren isn't
working, the Mower County Law Enforcement
Center dispatchers contact Nel Com
immediately. There are no records kept of the
sirens operability or of the testing. The county
points out there is no policy requiring that type of
recordkeeping.
There are three sirens owned by the county and
others owned by cities in the county. All of the
county sirens are activated from dispatch, as are
most of the city sirens. They are all tested the
first Wednesday of the month. If any problems
are found, they are addressed as soon as
Nicollet
Nobles
Norman
possible. Annual maintenance is performed on
county-owned sirens prior to April, when storm
season starts. This is also generally true for the
city-owned sirens. Performance records, as
such, of the sirens are not kept, however there
would be some records related to the cost of
repairs. This county says it has chosen to
depend on the weather radio network for its
warnings. A large investment went into this
system and it has emergency backup power
whereas many of the sirens do not. Weather
radios function both indoors and outdoors in an
all hazard environment. Residents are
encouraged to take responsibility for monitoring
severe weather independent of the sirens.
This county says it maintains testing logs, but it
is unclear if those logs indicate if sirens worked
or didn't work when sounded. WCCO tried to get
data from this county beginning in January, and
nothing has yet been provided.
There are 21 sirens in this county. Ten of them
are controlled by the Worthington Public Safety
Answering Point. The rest are controlled by the
municipalities. The PSAP tests the sirens once a
month. No records are kept on the testing itself,
however if a siren is known to fail, and Initial
Complaint Report, or an ICR, is filed through law
enforcement. To the Emergency Manager's
knowledge, the sirens have not failed in the last
three years during testing or severe weather. If
one did fail, it would be fixed promptly. All sirens
were operating as of March 21, 2007, according
to the county emergency manager. Cities with
sirens include Adrian, Bigelow, Brewster,
Dundee, Ellsworth, Lismore, Rush Lake and
Wilmont.
There are nine sirens in this county. The county
does not maintain records of the operability of
cities' sirens. The county indicated the cities
would maintain such records of they exist.
Ada – No information provided.
Borup – No information provided.
Halstead – No information provided.
Perley – No information provided.
Shelly – No information provided.
Gary – There is one siren in Gary. It is tested
monthly by the sheriff's department. The city
believes the county keeps records, which it does
not. The city has no records either. To the city's
knowledge, the siren has never failed. Repair
work would be done promptly if it did.
Twin Valley – No information provided.
Olmsted
There are 54 sirens in this county. 43 of them
are in Rochester and the other 11 are in the
cities of Byron, Dover, Eyota, Oronoco and
Stewartville and two are in large county parks.
The sirens are battery operated and radio
controlled with two-way controllers that afford the
county the opportunity to see if the sirens they
sound work. Sirens are tested every Wednesday
Otter Tail
Pennington
Pine
at 10 AM. Records as to the sirens operability
are kept by the county. A factory authorized
regional installer performs all repairs when
necessary. The consistent monitoring of the
sirens and the record kept by the county show a
well-working siren system.
This county has 27 sirens. The county does not
maintain records of the operability of cities'
sirens. The county indicated the cities would
maintain such records of they exist. Cities in this
county include Battle Lake, Bluffton, Clitherall,
Dalton, Deer Creek, Dent, Elizabeth, Erhard,
Fergus Falls, Henning, New York Mills, Ottertail,
Parkers Prairie, Pelican Rapids, Perham,
Richville, Rothsay, Underwood, Urbank, Vergas,
Vining and Wadena. It is unknown by WCCO
how many of these cities have sirens.
There are nine sirens in this county. They are
tested the first Wednesday of the month at 1 PM.
The county does not maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens. Neither do the cities.
The county says that if a siren is found to be
inoperable, repairs should take priority. As of
February 27, 2007, the emergency operations
manager for the county said all the sirens were
working. With a small population and limited
resources they realize the difference the sirens
can make and they are given priority when it
comes to maintenance and repair.
The county does not maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens. The county indicated
the cities would maintain such records of they
exist.
Askov – The city has one siren. There have been
2 malfunctions on their sirens in the last three
years which were fixed immediately. One was a
problem with the radio signal fading. The other
was a backup battery that froze and had to be
replaced. The siren is new within the last 7 years.
Hinckley – There are 2 sirens and the city says
they have not failed in the last 3 years. There are,
however, the city maintains no test and or
functionality records for the sirens.
Pine City -- There is one siren in Pine County. The
sheriff's department tests it. No frequency of
testing was indicated to WCCO. They maintain a
handwritten record acknowledging testing took
place and whether sirens sounded. The city says
the county does call them to acknowledge they
received the test. If there was a problem, the city
would notify the county at that time of a nonworking siren. As of March 29, 2007, the siren
was working.
Sandstone – There is one siren in the city and it is
tested the first Wednesday of the month by the
county. Pine County calls Sandstone to see if the
siren worked. The city believes the county has
records of this, however records were not
provided to WCCO. The city did provide billing
records showing four service calls were made on
their siren in the last three years.
Willow River – The city has one siren. The city
generally receives a call from the county
dispatcher to see if the siren is working. No
records are kept of testing or operation at the city
level. The city believes the siren has worked all of
2004, 2005 and 2006.
Pipestone
The county sets some of the sirens off, but if the
sirens don't sound, the only way the county
would know is if the city relayed that information.
There is no requirement of cities to do that. The
county does not maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens. The county indicated
the cities would maintain such records of they
exist.
Edgerton – No information provided.
Holland – No information provided.
Jasper – There is one siren in Jasper and it's
blown three times a day and once on the first
Wednesday of the month. It has been activated
twice in the last two years for severe weather and
worked both times. An electrician would be hired
to fix problems should they arise. The city
maintains no written records pertaining to the
functionality of the siren.
Pipestone – The city had four new warning sirens
installed in 2003. They are tested the first
Wednesday of the month. If problems are found,
repairs are made immediately. The sirens have
battery backup and although written records are
not maintained, the city say the sirens have
worked every time they were sounded in 2004,
2005 and 2006.
Prosky – No information provided.
Ruthton – No information provided.
Woodstock – No information provided.
Polk
Pope
Ramsey
Red Lake
No information received from this county
although it was requested in January and
followed up on by WCCO in the middle of March.
The county does not maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens. The county indicated
the cities would maintain such records of they
exist. Cities in this county include Brooten,
Cyrus, Farwell, Glenwood, Long Beach, Lowry,
Seden, Starbuck, Villard and Westport.
The cities in Ramsey County are responsible for
their own sirens. All of the cities in Ramsey
County that have sirens contract with a company
called Embedded Systems, Inc. Embedded
Systems runs silent siren tests a minimum of
once a week and reports to the cities that own
the sirens if problems are found. During storm
season, the company makes service calls within
48 hours if problems are detected. Service calls
are made within five business days outside of
storm season. The company is also responsible
for preventative maintenance on the sirens.
Other than the Embedded Systems data,
Ramsey County doesn't maintain any other
monthly testing data of the sirens. The sirens are
typically sounded the first Wednesday of each
month.
There are five sirens in this county. Two are in
Red Lake Falls, one is in Oklee, one is in Brooks
and one is in Plummer. The cities may have
Redwood
records on the operability of their sirens, but the
county doesn't maintain that data. The county
believes no sirens have been inoperable within
the past three years, but no record exists to
document that. Sirens would be fixed quickly if
broken. The siren is also used to notify members
of the fire department if there is a call, so if a
siren was inoperable, it would be immediately
noticed that it was not working.
County dispatch sounds all the sirens except the
one in Morgan on the first Wednesday of the
month. Cities are not required to report the
success or failure of the tests to the county and
the county doesn't keep records regarding siren
operability.
Belview – No information provided.
Clements – No information provided.
Delhi Township– No siren in Delhi Township.
Lamberton – No information provided.
Lower Sioux Community – No information
provided.
Lucan – No information provided.
Morgan – No information provided.
Milroy – No information provided.
Redwood Falls – No information provided.
Revere – No information provided.
Sanborn – There is one siren in this community of
418 people. It is tested the first Wednesday of the
month. The city says the siren has worked all of
the last three years. The city doesn't have any
written records to indicate that. There is no written
policy regarding repairs, however the city would
see to them promptly.
Seaforth – No information provided.
Wabasso – No information provided.
Walnut Grove – No information provided.
Wanda – There is one siren in Wanda. The
emergency response team is equipped with
individual pagers and has the ability to manually
access the siren should the need arise. The team
would also go through neighborhoods giving alerts
if the siren system were to fail. IF that was also
ineffective, the church bells would be used to
signal an emergency. The siren is tested the first
Wednesday of the month and is activated by the
county. The city believes the siren hasn't been
activated for severe weather since 2001 when a
tornado cell was spotted approaching town. The
sirens were sounded then and worked. Any
broken siren would be fixed immediately.
Renville
Information was requested by WCCO in January
and followed up on through the middle of March,
however no information was ever received by
WCCO.
Rice
Rock
Roseau
This county maintains records that demonstrate
a well-working siren system, however the town
of Webster currently has no operable siren.
Webster has been notified it should fix the
problem. It would be difficult for residents to hear
any sirens from surrounding counties should
sirens be sounded for severe weather. Webster
is a community of hundreds.
There are fifteen sirens in Rock County in the
cities of Luverne, Hills, Beaver Creek, Kenneth,
Hardwick, Steen and Magnolia. The sirens are
all tested monthly by the Rock County dispatch
center. The cities do notify the county if the
sirens are successful or if they fail. As of March
20, 2007, all the sirens were working according
to the county's emergency manager. Repairs are
always done immediately. The sirens are
checked by the local contractor each year. The
county wishes it could have a siren in its state
park.
The county does not maintain records of the
operability of cities' sirens. They indicated the
cities would maintain such records if they exist.
Badger – There is one siren in Badger. It has
worked all of the last three years, according to the
city, however there is no written documentation of
that. The city says it would know if the siren didn't
sound, because it's also used as the fire siren. It's
blown to announce meetings for fire department
personnel. Sirens are set off by the county and
are tested once a year in May.
Greenbush – The city has one siren. There is no
official policy for testing it. The only record kept is
when it goes off for tornado drills, but the record
doesn't indicate if the siren worked. To the best of
the city's knowledge, the siren has worked all of
the last three years.
Roseau – No information provided.
Warroad – No information provided.
Scott
The sirens all belong to the various cities, but the
county sounds them. About 60% of the sirens
have battery backup and all the ones scheduled
for replacement will be replaced by ones with
battery backup. The system in Scott County is a
one-way system that doesn't report back to the
county whether the siren tests in the local
municipalities were successful. Sirens are tested
the first Wednesday of the month. Local police
officials and street department officials are
assigned to check them. The county usually gets
a report if there is a problem, but no report is
required should a siren malfunction. Many of the
cities have contracts with local repair people.
Sirens that are down are usually fixed in a week
to week and a half. The county is looking into the
availability of grant money to improve the
system. To his knowledge, the sirens in the cities
have all worked during storms in the last three
years, but there is no documentation of that.
Twenty years ago in Belle Plaine, the power
went out and siren didn't work when an attempt
to sound it was made. The cities with sirens are
Sherburne
Sibley
St. Louis
Stearns
Belle Plaine, Jordan, Shakopee, Savage, Prior
Lake, New Prague, Elco New Market and Cedar
Lake Township.
There are 77 sirens in this county and 48 of
them are in the Emergency Planning Zone
surrounding the Monticello Nuclear Generating
Plant. Two more sirens will be installed in 2007
to give the county 100% coverage in its
populated areas. Cities in the county would
maintain records of those sirens within their
borders that are not in the emergency planning
zone. The county does not have that data.
Weekly tests are performed and records kept on
the sirens in the Emergency Planning Zone,
although the plant maintains no records on
whether sirens sounding during actual severe
weather.
WCCO requested siren information in January,
and followed up with the county in February and
March. No siren data was ever received by
WCCO.
St. Louis County pointed out it doesn't own any
sirens and directed WCCO to the cities with
sirens for information. The county doesn't
maintain siren testing and/or records of success
or failure. The county says the city would have
that information.
The county doesn't maintain siren testing and/or
records of success or failure for all sirens in the
county. The county says the cities would have
that information.
Avon – There is one siren in Avon. It is tested the
first Wednesday of each month. It is sounded by
the county. No records are kept related to the
sirens. The siren has only been activated on a
couple of occasions for weather over the last three
years and the city says it has worked each time.
Kimball – WCCO's request for information was
forwarded to the appropriate person by the city
clerk in March, however no information was ever
received.
Melrose – There are four sirens in this city and
they are tested the first Wednesday of the moth.
No documentation of the tests exists. The sirens
are activated by the county. The city says it hasn't
had a siren fail in the last three years, but there
are no records to show that. City and police
personnel listen at the locations during monthly
testing to make sure the sirens work. This city can
do cable interrupts to notify residents of severe
weather.
Richmond -- There are 3 outdoor sirens in
Richmond and two of them are less than five
years old. The third one is at the city hall and is
about 30 years old, but still works. The city feels
the coverage provided by the sirens is adequate.
The two new sirens are activated via radio signal
which can be done by the city or by the county
sheriff's department. The siren at the city hall is
activated manually. That siren is also used for fire
department response and is sounded for that
purpose 5-20 times a month. The city maintains
no documentation of the tests unless a problem is
detected or repaired. The city's emergency
management director recalls replacing a broken
drive belt on the siren at the city hall a few years
back, but no other significant problems or repairs.
The emergency management director also notes
the city government is very much supportive of its
storm warning system.
Rockville – Sirens are tested the first Wednesday
of the month. Rockville has five sirens. To the best
of the city's knowledge, all sirens have worked for
the last three years.
Sartell – Sartell has ten outdoor sirens. They are
activated monthly by the county. Beginning in the
spring of 2007, they will be tested separately from
the county testing and then they'll be tested a total
of twice monthly. The city doesn't maintain records
of the current testing by the county, but it will
begin maintaining records in the spring of 2007
when it starts its own tests. The city makes every
attempt to repair sirens promptly. The city says all
sirens were operating as of March 19, 2007 when
the city responded to WCCO's request for
information.
Sauk Centre – There are 7 sirens in the city. They
are tested the first Wednesday of the month. The
city maintains no written records of testing or
operability of the sirens. Any broken sirens would
be immediately fixed through the city public works
department or a private vendor. As of March 29,
2007 when the city responded to this request, all
sirens were believed to be working.
St. Augusta – There is one siren that is tested and
taken care of by Stearns County. That is all the
information that was provided.
St. Martin – WCCO exchanged phone calls with
St. Martin, but no records were ever received on
its siren(s).
Steele
Testing is done by the county, but no record of
success or failures of the cities sirens is
maintained by the county. The county points out
that one problem with sirens that is unavoidable
is that they get struck by lightning.
St. Stephen – There is one siren in St. Stephen. It
is tested the first Wednesday of the month. The
city does not maintain testing or operability
records for the siren. The city believes the siren
has worked all of the last three years. Repairs
would be ordered promptly if a siren was broken.
Blooming Prairie – No information provided.
Ellendale – No information provided.
Medford – No information provided.
Owatonna – This city has 22 sirens, all of which
are currently operating. Owatonna has an
electrician on staff that has a back up sire which
can be used as a replacement usually the same
day a problem is noted. The city doesn't keep a
maintenance record, but can track a problem
through finance records for parts and repair. The
city should always be covered by sirens because
they are designed to overlap when sounding.
Stevens
Swift
Todd
Traverse
Wabasha
This county keeps records of siren testing and
repair. Sirens that had problems were always
repaired by the time subsequent testing was
done. The only two cities not represented in the
siren data were Chokio and Donnelly.
Information was requested on the sirens in those
two cites, but WCCO never received a response.
Testing is done the first Wednesday of the
month. The county activates sirens in Appleton,
Holloway, Davers, Benson, Murdock and
Kerkhoven. The ones in Clontarf, DeGraff and
Swift Falls are sounded independently. Local
officials, primarily firefighters, notify dispatch if
the sirens don't sound, however the county
doesn't maintain records related to siren
operability. Over the years, siren receivers have
infrequently been damaged by lightning, but the
city believes the system is overall very reliable
as long as the sirens are activated prior to the
loss of electrical power. Few sirens in this county
have battery backup.
Sirens are tested by the county the first
Wednesday of the month. They are also tested
after maintenance has been performed on them.
It is the cities that own the sirens that are
responsible for fixing them. As of March 22,
2007, the emergency manager for the county
believes all the sirens are working. Records
were provided by the county showing
documentation of operability. In Staples, one
siren went down during a thunderstorm when it
was struck by lightning. The receiver was
replaced within 3 days. All the sirens in this
county have battery backup.
There are six sirens in Traverse County. They
are in Wheaton, Tintah, Browns Valley and
Dumont. No records are kept by the county of
the testing of the sirens. The police and/or fire
chief do a good job, according to the county, of
letting the emergency manager knows if a siren
is down. Electricians do most of the repairs. To
the best of the emergency manager's
knowledge, all the sirens are working.
The county does maintain siren test records
showing tests only. Those records have no
information on whether sirens actually sounded.
Elgin – No information provided.
Kellogg – No information provided.
Lake City – No information provided.
Mazeppa – No information provided.
Minneiska – No information provided.
Plainview – WCCO's request was returned as
undeliverable.
Wabasha – The sirens are tested the first
Wednesday of the month and also at noon every
day. The only person who would have any records
of siren failures is the electrician who fixes them.
Those would records would be billing statements.
In the past three years, the city says there have
been no instances when the sirens haven't
worked, however they provide no documentation
to illustrate that. The city is moving toward louder
decibel sirens and will be replacing two of the five
older sirens. One of those is already installed and
will operate soon.
Zumbro Falls – There is one siren in this town of
177 people. The city believes it has worked all of
the last three years when tested. If it doesn't work,
the mayor and two fireman take it down and have
it assessed for repairs, which would usually be
completed in a week. The city keeps no written
records on their siren. It is sounded every day at
noon and 6 PM. The city says it does let the
county know if the siren isn't working.
Wadena
Waseca
Washington
There are five sirens in this county and they're
tested once a month and for severe weather
drills. The county says there have been no
failures during activations of the sirens for real
emergencies. The county doesn't maintain siren
testing and/or records of success or failure. The
county says the cities would have that
information. Cities with sirens are Wadena,
Menahga, Sebeka, and Verndale.
WCCO requested siren information from this
county in January and followed up in February
and March. No siren information was ever
received by WCCO.
There are 62 sirens in this county. They are
tested the first Wednesday of the month. The
county doesn't maintain siren testing and/or
records of success or failure. The county says
the city would have that information. To the best
of the county's knowledge, all sirens were
working as of February 26, 2007, the date the
county responded to WCCO's request for
information.
Afton – There are no sirens in Afton.
Bayport – No information provided.
Baytown Township – No information provided.
Birchwood Village – This village relies on the
sirens of Mahtomedi and White Bear Lake.
Cottage Grove – This city wishes there was more
money to do more with its sirens, especially since
it's situated in the railroad corridor. There are 11
sirens in the city and plans to place an additional
one on the new City Hall being constructed on 85th
and Keats in the next few years. Sirens are tested
once a month from March-October. No records
are kept for success or failures of sirens when
sounded for severe weather. Citizens generally let
them know if a siren is broken. Repairs are made
promptly. The city has a maintenance plan that
allows for at least five sirens to be checked,
cleaned and greased each year for preventative
maintenance. The city has citizens it contacts to
check if the sirens sounded during tests, but if that
person isn't there, no notation is made if the siren
worked or not.
Dellwood – There are no sirens in Dellwood.
Denmark Township – No information provided.
Forest Lake – No information provided.
Grant – No information provided.
Grey Cloud – No information provided.
Island Township – No information provided.
Hugo – Was told the city was gathering the data in
March. WCCO never received any information.
Lake Elmo – There are six sirens in this city.
Three more are being installed in the spring.
When those are up and running, one of the preexisting ones will go off line due to age. All of the
sirens have worked in the last three years and the
city reports no failures during testing or storms.
There are, however, no written logs showing if
sirens documenting this. The county sets the
sirens off and if one doesn't work, the city does let
the county know. All the new sirens will have
battery backup, but only some of the old ones do.
Repairs to sirens are done immediately.
Lake St. Croix Beach – There is one siren and the
city believes it has worked all of the last three
years, however written records showing that are
not kept. Repairs would be performed promptly on
broken sirens.
Lakeland – There are two sirens in this city. The
city believes the county would have information on
siren testing and operability which it does not.
Lakeland Shores – No information provided.
Landfall – No information provided.
Mahtomedi –There are three sirens in the city that
provide coverage for the whole city. They are
tested the first Wednesday of the month in spring,
summer and fall. The city doesn't maintain test
records or records of siren success and failure,
but to the cities knowledge, there have not been
any failures in the last three years during tests or
during severe weather activations. The city has an
annual maintenance program which provides for
emergency service in the even a siren were to fail.
Marine on St. Croix -- No information provided.
May Township – No information provided.
Oak Park Heights – There are four sirens in the
city. The sirens are tested from April through
November. The city has no records related to that
testing. The city does believe all sirens were
functioning properly as of March 15, 2007. During
the years of 2004-2006, one siren malfunctioned
and needed repair. Police personnel check to
make sure sirens work when sounded and the
chief gets oral reports, not written ones, about the
sirens success or failure. Immediate repairs would
be done on broken sirens.
Oakdale – There are six sirens in Oakdale and
they're tested once a month. The city doesn't keep
records of the testing. The city says they repair
inoperable sirens quickly. There are no city
records of success or failure of sirens during
severe weather activations. They have no way to
monitor the sirens during such activations. Sirens
were operational as of March 22, 2007 when the
city responded to WCCO's information request.
Pine Springs – No siren in Pine Springs.
St. Mary's Point – No response provided.
St. Paul Park – The city has one siren which is
tested monthly. The city believes the county keeps
records, which it doesn't. The city believes there
have been no failures in the past three years. The
siren was operating as of March 12, 2007 when
the city responded to this request. The city
maintains no records related to the operability of
its siren.
Scandia – This city has one siren and it's tested
monthly from March through October. No formal
record of the tests is maintained by the city, but
each time a test is done, an observer from the fire
department makes sure it's working. Repairs
would be ordered immediately if a siren was
down. The city believes there were no failures in
2004, 2005 or 2006.
Stillwater – There are seven sirens in Stillwater.
There has been only one repair in the last 3 years.
Police officers check to see if they're working. If
there is a problem, it's addressed immediately. All
the sirens in Stillwater have battery backup. The
city says sirens have always worked during
activations for severe weather.
Stillwater Township – No information provided
West Lakeland Township – No information
provided.
Willernie – No information provided.
Woodbury – There are nine sirens and they are
currently operating. They cover approximately 4
square miles. Two additional sirens were
purchased in 2006 to cover the east-central
portion of the city as it develops toward Manning
Ave. The sirens will be installed this spring.
Another new siren will be purchased and installed
in 2007 to cover the northeast corner of the city
bringing the siren total to twelve. Sirens are tested
the first Wednesday of the month. Patrol officers
are assigned to monitor each siren during tests.
Watonwan
The county doesn't maintain siren testing and/or
records of success or failure. The county says
the city would have that information.
All the new sirens have a diagnostic feature that
automatically performs tests to identify failing
sirens. This feature will be retrofitted to the
existing sirens as they are replaced. 2004 saw
zero failures with sirens, 2005 had 4 and 2006
had 4 failures. The sirens have never failed to
work during an actual severe weather event
between 2004 and 2006. Repairs to faulty sirens
are usually made the same day.
Butterfield – No information provided.
Darfur – There is one siren in Darfur and it's
tested once a month. Beginning April 4, 2007, the
city clerk will verify that the siren sounds during
testing. The city believes the county maintains
records of whether sirens worked in its dispatch
logs. The city is unaware of a siren failing to
sound during severe weather.
Madelia – This city can break in to notify people of
severe weather when people have lower end
cable, but that doesn't work with high definition
television. There are also three sirens in the city
and they're tested once a month. Records may not
show whether sirens worked or not. The city
believes the sirens have never failed to activate
when required. A siren is fixed promptly if it breaks
and all sirens were working as of February 27,
2007. Only one siren has been subject to repair.
There was an interference problem with that siren
that was discovered and fixed.
St. James – There are four sirens and the county
tests them. The city believes the records of testing
are maintained by the county, which they are not.
All sirens were replaced in 1999 and since then,
the city says there have been only two instances
of failures. Repairs were completed promptly. City
crews do monitor sirens during tests, although
records of that are not kept.
Wilkin
Winona
Siren information was requested by WCCO in
January and was followed up on in February and
April. No information was ever received.
This county believes that as a general rule, the
sirens are a good warning system, but lightning
strikes can be a problem. The county also says
that the city of Winona replaced its sirens with
sirens that are digital and have battery backup.
The sirens in that city are part of a two-way
communications system that reports back
whether the sirens have worked. Test records
showing operability of all other sirens are not
typically maintained by the county, however
some records were provided. According to the
county's emergency manager, repair for the new
sirens in the city of Winona can be slower
because the sirens are more technical, and more
technical expertise is required of people who
make repairs. The county says the average
lifespan for a siren is 10-12 years, but this
county has some older than that. The county has
the capability to see if Winona's sirens are
Wright
Yellow
Medicine
working, but can't see if sirens in the other cities
are working. The following cities have sirens –
Winona, Goodview, St. Charles, Minneiska,
Utica, Lewiston and Elba. The county notes
there is no siren in its state park, and thinks
there should be.
The county has 58 sirens that are maintained by
the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant. Weekly
tests are performed and records kept on the
sirens in the Emergency Planning Zone,
although the plant maintains no records on
whether sirens sounding during actual severe
weather. Still, with the policies in place, the
county believes with "high" assurance that sirens
would sound in severe weather.
This county maintains siren testing data that also
shows if sirens were working.