Trumann, Arkansas – The city of Trumann is upgrading its outdoor warning system with six new tornado sirens, replacing older and damaged equipment that officials say is no longer reliable.
The city announced the project Monday, saying the new sirens will be installed as part of an effort to improve emergency alerts for residents during severe weather.
According to the city, three of the existing sirens being replaced were damaged and are no longer operational. The other three have been in service for more than 20 years.
The replacement project will give Trumann six new sirens instead of continuing to rely on equipment that has either stopped working or reached an advanced age.
City officials said the upgrades are intended to provide residents with a more dependable outdoor warning system, particularly when severe storms threaten the area.
“Replacing these sirens will help improve our emergency warning system and provide our citizens with a more reliable way to receive outdoor severe weather warnings,” the release said.
Tornado sirens are designed primarily to warn people who are outside when dangerous weather approaches. The new equipment will therefore add another layer to the city’s emergency warning system during tornadoes and other severe weather events.
The project comes as Trumann replaces equipment with different problems. Three sirens have been damaged and cannot be used, while the remaining three have been operating for more than two decades.
By replacing all six, the city will be able to update the warning infrastructure rather than continue depending on aging equipment.
The announcement did not provide a specific installation schedule or additional details about the locations of the new sirens.
For residents, the upgrades are intended to make outdoor warnings more dependable when severe weather develops. The city says the new equipment will improve its ability to alert people in the community who may be outside when dangerous conditions move into the area.
The new tornado sirens will become part of Trumann’s emergency warning system once they are installed and operational, replacing six existing units that are either damaged or more than 20 years old.
The city described the project as an important improvement to its emergency preparedness efforts and emphasized the need for residents to have reliable access to severe weather warnings.
