City May Seek Outside Help On Tornado Sires

The city of Bourbon may look into grant possibilities that improve the effectiveness of its tornado sirens.

There are outdoor sirens located on top of the water towers on Pine Street and Old Highway 66 by Bourbon High School, but their effectiveness is hit-or-miss.

Mayor Danny Skaggs said Tuesday that he saw discussion on Facebook following a storm on April 13 where some people in the city couldn’t hear the siren, but some people outside the city could. The issue of the sirens being scattershot has come up before. It is believed the wind and hills affect whether or not certain parts of the city will hear the sirens.

Wednesday morning, police tested the sirens. Police Chief Paul Satterfield told the board he will test the sirens more frequently.

Skaggs asked towers were a possibility, but park board member Steve Pasch said there was a proposal given to the city several years back and the price was “astronomical.” 

Emergency Director

The board also wants to ensure that someone is capable of setting the sirens off. Ward 2 Alderman Mary Heywood asked Satterfield what the procedure is. Satterfield explained that during inclement weather, Cencom notifies police and the sirens can be activated from a police vehicle. 

That night, Satterfield said there was a breakdown and the sirens were set off too late. 

“It should have been done sooner,” he said, adding that he addressed it with officers the day before to make sure everyone was aware of the policy. 

Skaggs wants to look into allowing Cencom to set off the sirens instead of going through the police department, in the event that officers are busy on another call or off-duty. 

Heywood said the city must have someone else in place qualified to activate the sirens. That position used to belong to Leroy Schebaum. Schebaum, who frequently attends board meetings, said Tuesday that Fire Chief Daniel Whatley is set up for that.

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