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Zionsville officials say new sirens work in storms but monthly radio tests are failing for some units
Summary
Deputy Chief Jason Paz told the safety board that the Town of Zionsville runs legacy radio sirens and newer, developer-funded sirens that also trigger off National Weather Service polygons; some new units aren’t responding during local radio tests after the 9-1-1 center moved from copper to fiber and technicians will trace the connection.
Deputy Chief Jason Paz told the board the Town of Zionsville operates two warning‑siren systems: legacy sirens that run off a radio signal and newer sirens installed as development occurred that add redundancies such as triggering from the National Weather Service. "The Town of Zionsville actually runs 2 separate systems," he said.
Paz said the newer sirens are designed to be triggered automatically by National Weather Service polygons, but the town has observed failures during local monthly radio tests. He described a recent transition from a copper line to a fiber feed between the 9‑1‑1 center and the town transmitter and said a technician will trace that run "to find out where that disconnect occurred" and restore the radio trigger for both legacy and new sirens.
Paz emphasized that, in a real emergency, "all of our sirens barring a mechanical issue with 1, will work." He also explained the town can trigger sirens locally from Town Hall or via a mobile radio and that the newer system can be triggered from a computer; the redundancy is intended to ensure warning coverage even if one element fails.
Chief Van Gorder added that the town previously adopted a development‑review ordinance requiring developers to pay for new outdoor warning sirens in unprotected areas when subdivisions are built; that approach shifted much of the capital cost for coverage to private development as the town grew. The chief said Boone County EMA provides countywide emergency management coverage but the town invested in local infrastructure to address rapid population growth.
Board members asked whether siren maintenance imposes a material burden on the fire department budget; staff described the ongoing maintenance cost as a continuing operational expense that the department tracks in its budget line items.
Town staff said they will have a vendor/technician inspect the 9‑1‑1 to transmitter run this week and follow up with the board when testing confirms repaired radio triggers.
