KENT COUNTY, Mich. — It’s that time of year. Kent County Emergency Management and the City of Grand Rapids Emergency Management will begin monthly tests of the outdoor-warning sirens at 12 p.m. on Friday, April 5.
The seasonal tests will continue through October at the same time of day, on the first Friday of each month.
Kent County Emergency Management Coordinator Lt. Louis Hunt says in a written statement, “If you do not hear the noon-time siren testing – and believe you should have – contact your local township or city office…the purpose of the outdoor warning sirens is to provide one of many means to alert residents of an imminent hazard, and to prompt them to find shelter and seek further information.”
The outdoor warning sirens may not be able to reach the interior of all homes for various reasons, such as distance, sound-deadening features in some homes, and the specific location within the home, such as a basement. “Therefore, redundant methods of emergency alert are recommended,” says Lt. Hunt.
“The testing of the outdoor warning sirens is also an excellent time to discuss plans for severe weather with your family and in your workplace.”
