Wisconsin severe weather alerts: Sirens, cellphones key tools
MILWAUKEE - People count on emergency alerts to stay safe when preparing for severe weather. And whether that alert comes from an outdoor siren or a cellphone, it starts with information from the National Weather Service.
Who activates sirens?
What we know:
An individual county's emergency management team, or local municipalities, own large outdoor sirens. The NWS will indicate where and when a tornado warning is in effect, and the local dispatch centers active the sirens.
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Each county uses its sirens differently. Ozaukee County, for example, will sound sirens across the entire county. Other counties will only active sirens that are in the warned area.
Outdoor siren, wireless emergency alerts for severe weather
How are cellphones alerted?
What we know:
The NWS handles wireless emergency alerts, which are focused on two locations: cellphone towers or an individual device.
"The older phones are, they are more so targeted on where the cellphone tower is pinging off of is located," said Tim Halbach with the NWS. "Most phones now, if you're within the warning, you should get a wireless emergency alert if it's a tornado warning."
Sirens vs. cellphones
What we know:
Halbach said some people may hear outdoor sirens and not get an alert on their cellphone. That could happen if the county activates the sirens, but you and your device are not physically near the warned area.
Sirens are meant to alert people who are outdoors, Halbach said. If you're inside, use your cellphone, a weather radio or the news for weather alerts.
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The Source: FOX6 News referenced information from the National Weather Service and interviewed Halbach.