Tornado sirens will be sounding in Jamestown today

Tornado sirens are expected to be sounded today as part of statewide exercise, according to Stutsman County Emergency Manager Jerry Bergquist.

Bergquist said in a press release that sirens in area communities are to be sounded between 11:10 and 11:20 a.m. today with a “mock” tornado warning being issued by the National Weather Service for the annual exercise.

In response to this “simulated” warning, a countywide exercise of the emergency operations plan will also take place. The plan is designed to warn the greatest number of people in the least amount of time.

As part of the exercise, sirens will be activated in area communities including Jamestown. In most communities, sirens will be activated for approximately 3 minutes. In addition, the “mock” tornado warning will be broadcast over the National Weather Services weather radio system and local AM/FM radio stations. In Jamestown, the simulated warning will also be broadcast over local cable television interrupt systems.

The week of May 2-6 has been designated, “Severe Summer Weather Awareness Week,” for the entire state of North Dakota by Gov. Jack Dalrymple. This week is an annual event designed to remind the public of the dangers associated with severe summer weather including: lightning, high winds, large hail, flash floods and tornadoes.

During the summer, the most common reason a community’s warning sirens are activated is to warn the public of a possible tornado. However, the sirens could also be activated to alert the public of other types of events that could be a danger to the community. Hearing the sirens is the signal to tune into any of the local radio stations and to follow official instructions being broadcast. Cable television subscribers will also be able to turn on their TVs and hear official instructions being broadcast by either the National Weather Service or officials at the Law Enforcement Center.

Tags: local news, news, emergency, sirens