MCARTHUR, Ohio — Vinton County residents will hear the county’s outdoor warning sirens sound at noon Monday, July 27, as the Vinton County Emergency Management Agency conducts a scheduled test of the system.
The agency announced the test in a post on its Facebook page. Residents who hear the sirens that day do not need to take shelter or call 911, as the activation is part of routine testing rather than a response to an actual emergency.
Vinton County tests its outdoor warning sirens on the last Monday of each month at noon, and July 27 is the final Monday of the month. Regular testing allows emergency officials to confirm the sirens are working and ready to alert the public in an actual emergency, such as a tornado or other severe weather.
Outdoor warning sirens are designed to be heard by people who are outdoors, prompting them to seek shelter and turn to local media, a weather radio or a mobile phone for more information. They are not intended to be heard clearly indoors, and officials encourage residents to have more than one way to receive emergency alerts.
The Vinton County Emergency Management Agency coordinates the county’s planning for and response to natural disasters and other emergencies. Vinton County, the least-populous county in Ohio, has been designated a StormReady county by the National Weather Service, a program that recognizes communities with strong severe-weather preparedness, including dependable public warning systems.
William Faught, the county’s emergency management director, said residents with questions about the test or about emergency management in Vinton County can reach his office at 740-596-3524.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Vinton County Emergency Management Agency.
