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Emergency manager says Dolores siren has protocol but public lacks clear guidance; county to publish procedures
Summary
Mineral County emergency manager Mr. Anderson said the Dolores siren is tied to a targeted emergency-alert protocol (shelter in place followed by instructions and maps) but acknowledged the system is not well publicized; staff will publish siren procedures and add a website button to explain alerts.
Emergency Manager Mr. Anderson told commissioners on Dec. 15 that the Dolores siren is part of a layered alert system: a siren blast is intended to prompt shelter-in-place and trigger a targeted emergency alert with instructions and a map of affected zones. "When that siren goes off, that means shelter in place and you will get an emergency alert telling you what areas what to do," he said.
Commissioners and staff said residents routinely receive siren tests and do not understand whether a given blast signals a test, a scheduled noon test, or an actual emergency. One commissioner asked, "If I hear that siren going off, what does it mean? Do I stop?" Mr. Anderson acknowledged the communications gap and said the county will publish the protocol and create a "Dolores siren" button on the county website that links to clear instructions and the blast-meaning table.
Mr. Anderson described operational details: the emergency alert system can geo-target alerts to a circled area, distribute EAS radio messages and send maps showing the zones affected; it functions similarly to Amber Alerts and does not require prior signup. He said staff are coordinating with municipal partners to ensure only the appropriate zone receives a live alert during an actual incident.
Next steps: emergency management staff will publish siren protocols and improve public outreach so tests and live alerts are clearly distinguishable.
