Managing editor
Marion city tornado sirens do not work when the electricity is off. Although the occurrence is rare, it happened April 26 when a storm came through the area, breaking power poles, and disrupting electrical service to city residents.
At Monday’s Marion City Council meeting, the council sought solutions.
“I want to hear options,” councilman Gene Winkler said.
City administrator David Mayfield said there are two solutions. One is to install sirens with battery backups. The other is to hookup the siren at the city building to the city’s generator.
The procedure that has been implemented in the past and most recently is for police officers to alert residents through a public address system, which was done. However, not everybody can hear the warning by this method and updated tornado sirens would be the preferred method.
City public utility superintendent Harvey Sanders said the city’s current tornado sirens actually are fire sirens. There are six located throughout the city. If the city wanted a battery backup system, all of the sirens would have to be replaced. Police chief Josh Whitwell suggested there be more sirens installed since the city has expanded since the sirens were installed.
Mayor Mary Olson asked if the siren near St. Luke Hospital could be hooked-up to the hospital’s generator. Sanders said no, because they have different voltages.
A three-phase siren would be considered. Sanders said a number of years ago he had priced sirens with battery-backup capabilities. At that time, they were $8,000 each.
Currently the sirens are activated at the city building or police department. With a new siren system, they could turned on and off by a radio frequency.
City economic development director Doug Kjellin said he recently attended a conference where one town did receive funding for a tornado siren but that type of funding is not typical.
Marion County Emergency Management Director Michele Abbott will be contacted for ideas about funding.
Councilman Stacey Collett said he would like information about the city’s storm shelter in the city building basement included on a brochure about the drill when tornado sirens are activated.
Olson asked if signs could be erected in the downtown district, instructing visitors to the city building basement in case of tornado.
A comment was heard regarding Marion being without electricity April 26, while other areas had power. Sanders said a number of power poles near Aulne were knocked down because of the weather, causing the outage in Marion.