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Adams County emergency sirens fail remote activation; county staff cite $76,000 radio-system cost
Summary
Emergency Management reported remote-control radios for 16–18 county sirens are no longer functional; staff provided an estimate of roughly $76,000 for replacement radios plus labor and said they will seek grants.
Adams County emergency management staff told supervisors that the radio system used to trigger the county's emergency sirens remotely is no longer functional and that most sirens must currently be activated manually.
Tom McGivney, acting director of emergency management, said a recent county siren test found none of the county's 16–18 sirens were operating remotely. "The biggest problem being is the radio system that turns the sirens on is no longer functional," McGivney said. He said manual testing requires a ladder or bucket truck to reach the pole, a method he described as impractical in an emergency.
A later supplement given to the board put preliminary replacement costs at about $76,000 for the radio system and roughly $8,000 for labor. "So a new system will have to be bought for the 18 sirens," McGivney told the board while reporting the cost estimate he had received.
Board members expressed support for restoring the system and suggested pursuing grant funding. "We owe it to our citizens to do whatever we can to get these sirens," President Wilson said, noting that not all residents — including children or people working outside — will receive mobile alerts. Staff said they would obtain an estimate and pursue grant opportunities; McGivney said he would forward the written estimate when available.
Key technical and budget details discussed: the county has about 16–18 sirens, remote activation via low-band radio receivers is failing, manual activation requires physical access at each pole, initial replacement estimate cited to the board was $76,000 for hardware and $8,000 for installation labor, and staff recommended seeking grants to fund replacement.
The board did not adopt a specific procurement motion during the meeting but directed staff to obtain a formal written estimate and to pursue grant funding options.
