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Council approves web‑based Commander siren system to modernize tornado warnings
Summary
After a presentation by Sergeant Argett on current manual siren activation limitations, the council approved purchase of a web‑based Commander siren operating system that will automatically activate sirens on National Weather Service polygon warnings, permit geofencing, and provide monitoring; initial funds will come from the storm siren fund with a recurring subscription budgeted to the fire department.
Sergeant Argett explained the city’s current siren activation relies on handheld radios and manual activation and described the proposed Commander web‑based siren activation system. The system would automatically activate sirens when the National Weather Service issues a polygon‑based warning, provide two‑way monitoring of siren controllers, enable geofencing to limit activation to impacted areas, and allow future expansion of sirens.
"When the National Weather Service puts the polygon down and sends out the activated tornado warning, it will automatically activate them," the sergeant said, describing how a mobile radio connected to the web‑based activation system would trigger transmissions to existing siren radios. The council approved using the storm siren fund for the initial purchase and directed staff to budget the annual subscription in the fire department operating budget.
Staff noted the system does not remove the need for human oversight—operators will continue to monitor warnings—but that the new system reduces the chance of missed activations and enables future improvements in reliability and zone control.
