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Michael D. Pitman reports about Butler County, Ohio, politics, county government, countywide issues and Butler County people just like you for Cox Ohio Publishing (including the Hamilton JournalNews, Middletown Journal and several weekly papers in Butler County). He wants your suggestions and questions for more news stories. Leave a comment for him here or e-mail Michael at Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2011 > March > 21 > Entry
Should all communities adopt countywide siren policy?
This week is also Spring Severe Weather Awareness Week in Ohio.
Since 1978, the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness has been educating Ohioans about the dangers associated with severe weather hazards, the most common types of affecting Ohio include floods, tornadoes and severe winter storms.
The awareness week, designated the week of March 20 by Gov. John Kasich, raises the awareness of severe weather in hopes to reduce its impact, according to a letter from committee chair Mark Taylor.
“Ohio tornado activity varies each year, averaging about 16 tornadoes annually. Thirty-nine tornadoes were reported in Ohio in 2010,” Taylor wrote.
Butler County EMA Director Jeff Galloway has been making the rounds since October to various communities making a pitch for the countywide tornado siren policy. Most have agreed, some have not. He has three more councils to address, not including the Fairfield Twp. Board of Trustees Tuesday night.
The policy would activate the sirens in all communities (or at least all where the policy is adopted) if a tornado is spotted, as well as a funnel cloud.
If the policy would have been in effect, the sirens would have sounded four times. There were six funnel clouds spotted within the county — four on June 14, one on June 21 and one on Aug. 15. The fourth time would have been on Oct. 26 when a tornado touched down in southeastern Indiana near Butler County.
What are your thoughts? Should all communities where the 89 severe weather sirens are located adopt the countywide policy, or is sounding the sirens four times a month (at least for 2010) too many times?
Permalink | Comments (13) | Post your comment | Categories: Butler County, Emergency Management Agency
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By Ron
March 22, 2011 11:02 AM | Link to this
If the storm is going across the northern edge of the county why activate the sirens in the southern end of the county that isn’t being affected. This just sounds like EMA and the sheriff wanting to take control over something else.
By Nick
March 22, 2011 2:35 PM | Link to this
So if a storm crosses over West Chester and the sun is shining in Oxford our sirens will sound? Now that’s a smart idea Mr. Galloway.
By Brian
March 22, 2011 3:42 PM | Link to this
The Weather Service has spent millions of dollars to better pin point the location of storms, but Butler County wants to activate sirens in areas that are not affected by a storm. One question: WHY??
By cent21
March 23, 2011 12:20 PM | Link to this
Countywide sirens - Not a very well thought out idea. After a while people will become complacent when the sirens sound and not seek shelter.
By Fire Fighter 109
March 24, 2011 12:00 PM | Link to this
The sirens sound so often that know one pays any attemtion to them anymore. This policy is only going to make it worse.
By Clark
March 24, 2011 12:06 PM | Link to this
I was watching the weather radar just last night on TV and there it was a storm going across the Northern (Oxford) portion of the county and nothing in the rest of the county. Sirens only need to sound for those areas being affected by the storm. Clearly Mr. Galloway’s mother never read him the story of the “Boy Who Cried Wolf”.
By Business Loans
March 25, 2011 6:21 AM | Link to this
Implementation of siren policy must be done before awareness among each person is analysed and properly injected to make it more effective among all.
By Red
March 25, 2011 9:12 AM | Link to this
Didn’t the sheriff come up with this idea a few years ago and the EMA Director said no. It was a stupid idea then and now.
By Joey
March 25, 2011 11:29 AM | Link to this
How was the decision to do this reached, did EMA ask the fire and police chiefs what they thought, did anyone ask the citizens? Hamilton County is installing new sirens that can be activated individually and in zones. Why does Butler County want to do the opposite and set off all the sirens at one time.
By Brandon
March 27, 2011 5:18 PM | Link to this
Let the sirens sound in a couple communities that have no severe weather and soon no one will pay attention when they do sound. This is just Galloway and the sheriff wanting to control the sirens.
By Lorin
March 30, 2011 3:31 PM | Link to this
All the surrounding counties activate sirens when there is a Tornado Watch and a Thunderstorm Warning issued. If we’re look at being consistent are we going to adopt that policy?
By Larry
April 27, 2011 1:19 PM | Link to this
After events this morning just how stupid is this policy. Good for West Chester for never adopting this stupid policy and how does Fairfield explain not following the policy to day that they adopted.
By Karen
May 26, 2011 10:14 PM | Link to this
Great Galloway, the county gets hit with a tornado and the sirens never sound. This policy and Mr. Galloway neither seem to be working.