Manitowoc’s mayor is providing more details on the city’s change for its weather warning sirens.
Manitowoc Fire Rescue Chief Ben Kraynek tells Seehaferenews.com the department served as a middleman for when the warning sirens should be turned on or off by Manitowoc County Joint Dispatch.
But Kraynek noted that firefighters are not meteorologists and can’t predict the weather.
Manitowoc’s adoption of county rules now has joint dispatch turning on the sirens when there is a tornado warning issued by the National Weather Service.
Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels says this takes the burden off the department.
“Doing it this way makes it absolutely certain that the only times they go off is when there’s a declared tornado warning in our area. And you’ll hear those same sirens going off in Two Rivers and the other municipalities around us,” Mayor Nickels explained.
Nickels says some residents are concerned about when severe weather strikes, but don’t involve a tornado warning.
But tornadoes are already happening because severe weather is either in the area or is coming.
The Mayor added, “You know, if you’re getting that siren, there’s going to be severe weather no matter what. Because that’s how tornadoes start.”
Manitowoc’s Public Safety Committee approved adopting the policy of Manitowoc County’s Emergency Management Department, meaning tornado sirens will only be tested on the 1st Wednesday of each month, starting in August.
The sirens will also go off only when a tornado warning has been issued by the National Weather Service.
