Fallon County weighs monthly siren testing, possible repurpose as evacuation alert

A Fallon County official opened the meeting with a review of local siren practices and a proposal to formalize testing and messaging for residents. Staff said Plevna tests its department siren monthly, while Baker has not consistently tested. The staff proposal called for a written test schedule, community education on what each tone means, and additional outreach to increase Code Red sign-ups.

"So this is what these sirens are for. We're gonna test monthly on such and such day," Speaker 1 said, urging a standard date and time so the public can recognize different tones and respond appropriately.

Commissioners debated test frequency and timing. Some favored monthly testing because that is the advisement; others cautioned that frequent testing can desensitize residents and suggested quarterly testing. Noon on the last Wednesday was discussed as a compromise test time so more people would notice.

The group agreed on next steps: staff will draft a formal test plan with a recommended day/time, consult fire chiefs about repurposing the fire siren as an evacuation signal (separate from the weather/tornado tone, which is triggered by 70+ mph winds or large hail and initiated by dispatch), and begin a community education campaign tied to Code Red and Text-to-9-1-1 to reach residents indoors and outdoors.

No formal ordinance or binding policy was adopted at the meeting. Commissioners asked staff to return with a proposed test schedule, suggested public messaging, and recommended language for local coordination with fire departments and dispatch.

The discussion concluded with a plan for staff to test procedures at multiple sites and to report back to the board.