A study of emergency management policy regarding the use of tornado sirens during severe weather in the state of Missouri

Abstract

In recent years there have been many devastating tornadoes which have hit cities of all sizes across the state of Missouri, including St. Louis (April 22, 2011) rated EF 4, Joplin (May 22, 2011) rated EF 5 and Sedalia (May 25, 2011) rated EF-2. These, along with other catastrophic tornadoes in cities such as Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, Alabama, have increased the conversation regarding public policy of the use of tornado sirens. In many Missouri counties, guidelines and procedures regarding when to warn the public are inconsistent. After the media, emergency management directors and tornado sirens are the largest source and fastest way of informing the public of impending severe weather with the capability of producing tornadoes. With inconsistencies from county to county in Missouri and a lack of oversight by the state, uncertain and unregulated policies can cause citizens to be confused as to the specific meaning of these sirens. These variations in policy can range from who has responsibility over siren activation to the circumstances in which sirens are sounded. Frequently, in these time-sensitive situations, emergency managers do not have the sole responsibility of when to sound sirens. This decision is often left up to an assortment of individuals such as the police or fire department. It is well documented that citizens have become desensitized to tornado sirens based on the frequent number of soundings that have proven either to be a false alarm or siren activation provoked by other non-tornadic weather events. This occurs because many counties use their tornado sirens for reasons other than to alert citizens specifically of the immediate threat of tornadoes. Using a survey and archival research to gather information such as the jurisdiction policies on who activates sirens and the activation guidelines, a better understanding of how the warning process throughout Missouri was achieved. Suggestions are made that can be used by Emergency Management Directors (EMDs) when siren activation may be necessary. T