A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was in effect in Hardin County Wednesday, and after the county’s outdoor warning sirens were activated some residents questioned the decision as a Tornado Warning had not been issued.
“It was not a mechanical failure, and it was not an accident,” said Hardin County Government Communications Officer Brian Walker. “It ultimately was a choice. There was significant, very active cloud formations moving through the area. We had two law enforcement officers keeping an eye on things. They spotted what they believed was possible to be rotation in the cloud formation.”
Walker said the officers were heard by dispatchers discussing the clouds over radio, and out of an abundance of caution, an experienced shift supervisor at the E-911 center made the decision to activate the sirens. Ultimately, the storm system passed and a tornado was never confirmed.
“That’s not our normal protocol, and in the future, the only time we will activate those outdoor warning sirens will be if there is a Tornado Warning issued by the National Weather Service or it gets activated through the SKYWARN system,” Walker said.
The sirens are tested Tuesdays at noon if the weather at the time is clear. As a reminder, the outdoor sirens are meant to be heard outdoors rather than indoors. Sign up for alerts through your county’s Emergency Management office and follow local media and the National Weather Service for severe weather updates.
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