By 1808Delaware
Now that severe weather season is here, Delaware County Emergency Management is encouraging residents to take time now to review family emergency plans and make sure they have reliable ways to receive warnings and alerts.
A key part of that system, the agency said, is understanding what outdoor warning sirens can and cannot do. Sirens are intended to be heard outdoors, not inside homes. In a well-insulated house during a storm, officials noted, they may be difficult to hear over wind, rain, or television noise and may not wake someone who is sleeping.
Emergency Management also stressed that sirens have limits. They cannot tell residents where a tornado is heading, how fast it is moving, or when the threat has ended. Instead, officials said, anyone who hears a siren should immediately seek shelter and then get more information from a reliable source.
In Delaware County, the outdoor warning siren system is tested on the first Wednesday of each month at 12:01 PM, unless severe weather is in the area.
The agency is also urging families to build a stronger, multi-layered warning system at home. One option is DelCoALERTS, an opt-in county notification service available at delcoalerts.org that allows residents to choose the alerts they want to receive. Officials also recommend having a NOAA Weather Radio, which can provide both warnings and guidance during severe weather, and downloading a weather app from a trusted local news source for mobile alerts.
The message from county officials is straightforward: a single warning method is not enough. A layered approach gives families the best chance of getting timely information when dangerous weather moves in.
