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Carmel-Clay Communications
Tornado Warning System
Carmel-Clay
Communications technical staff maintains
the weather warning siren system for
Carmel and Clay Township. This
system is tested weekly each Friday at
11 AM unless the temperature is below 32
degrees or if inclement weather is
occurring at that time.
Sirens are activated upon receiving:
- A “Tornado
Warning” from the National Weather
Service NWS.
- A funnel
cloud is reported to the 911 center
during a “Tornado Watch”.
- A funnel
cloud sighting during a “Sever
Weather Warning” and confirmed by
trained weather observer and/or a
police officer or fire fighter.
- At the
specific request of the NWS,
Homeland Security, and/or Emergency
Management.
To assure receipt
of timely warnings, an independent audio
alarm (NWS radio) is monitored/sounded
to gain the attention of busy dispatch
personnel calling to their attention
that a severe weather alert is being
generated. Type written warnings are
also produced. The Indiana Data
Communications System also produces
warnings and the Communication Center
also monitors local television station
weather reports.
Carmel
maintains
21 sirens throughout Carmel-Clay
Township. To assure dependability of
operation, each siren and its component
support system(s) is optimized annually
including all backup batteries at each
location.
To minimize
premature siren activation, Carmel
Communications implemented a predicted
path warning policy. When a severe
weather warning “storm” is announced by
the NWS, Carmel Communications will
track the storm and if a “Tornado
Warning” is issued by the NWS, the
Carmel sirens will be sounded ahead of
the time that the predicted storm path
crosses the boundary of Carmel-Clay Twp.
Tornado sirens are intended to alert
persons who are outdoors to seek shelter
indoors. Persons indoors may or may not
be able to hear a siren and should rely
instead on a NWS radio which sounds a
NWS generated audio alarm. This is an
inexpensive device easily obtainable at
most electronic outlet stores. Carmel
Communications maintains one in
operation at all times in the dispatch
center
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