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The warning siren system is activated to alert residents to potential danger.
“It is not designed to be heard indoors,” said Thomas Pechal, Temple Fire and Rescue public information officer. “They are designed to be heard outside to warn people to take shelter immediately.
There are 22 of the outdoor sirens placed around the city to provide the best coverage.
Temple City Mayor Bill Jones III is director of emergency management. He is supported by Chief of Temple Fire and Rescue and Emergency Management coordinator Lonzo Wallace.
There is no one person who actually decides when the alarms should sound. “There are a few places around town and “buttons” in cars to sound the alarms, Pechal said.
The decision to sound the alarm does not come easily for good reason.
A couple of weeks ago when severe weather ripped through Temple pulling roofs off buildings and uprooting trees the alarms didn’t sound. It wasn’t because no one was aware. Wallace was watching the weather closely, as were his advisers and others. But the number of people on the streets at 5 a.m. when the severe weather hit was minimal.
At about 6 p.m. last Friday the alarms were activated twice because of a tornado warning.
The sirens will sound if a tornado is imminent, Pechal said. Temple residents are told to seek shelter in the interior of a building, avoiding areas with exterior walls or gyms and cafeterias.
Sirens rotate when activated to allow even better coverage of the area but they won’t tell you what’s coming.
“We can’t stress enough how important a battery-operated radio is in an area like ours where severe weather is common,” Pechal said.
Severe weather isn’t the only thing that would cause the alarms to sound.
The sirens can be activated in the case of a HAZMAT situation, such as a chemical spill upwind of residents.
If such a situation were to arise, residents should take shelter in a place that offers short-term protection. Windows and doors should be locked; heaters, air conditioners and fans should be turned off. Turn on a radio or television to listen for updates and instructions.
In the case of a chemical spill, evacuation orders may be given. If this is the case, follow instructions regarding evacuation routes.
Local schools and hospitals and nursing home facilities have emergency procedures in place, but it never hurts to ask what the procedures are before the need arises.