Why Genesee County Tests Tornado Sirens Each Month

Living in Genesee County, most of us have heard the tornado sirens before. Usually it’s that long, steady sound that makes you stop for a second and look around. But what a lot of people don’t realize is those sirens get checked on a regular basis, and the people helping make sure they actually work aren’t just officials. A lot of it comes down to volunteers around the community.

Why Tornado Sirens Are Tested in Genesee County

Since the late 1970s, local amateur radio operators and everyday residents have helped keep an eye and ear on the county’s outdoor warning sirens. During testing days, they listen for the basics. Does the siren rotate? Does it run for about three minutes? Does anything sound off or unusual?

According to GCares.org, those observations get reported back to the Genesee County Office of Emergency Management. If something isn’t working the way it should, that information gets passed along to the local city or township so it can be fixed.

When Siren Testing Happens in Genesee County

The testing usually happens at 1:00 PM on the first Saturday of the month, with a statewide tornado drill coming up March 18.

Get our free mobile app

Here’s something a lot of people don’t realize. Those outdoor sirens are really meant for people who are outside when a tornado warning is issued. They’re not designed to wake you up or alert you if you’re inside your house.

Why Sirens Aren’t Meant to Warn You Indoors

That’s why emergency managers still recommend having a weather radio at home or at work, something that can activate automatically if severe weather moves in. These days, your phone can also be set up to alert you to emergency situations based on your location settings.

No system is perfect. But between the technology used by MLive and other sources, the testing, and people in the community paying attention, it’s one more way we try to keep each other safe when Michigan weather decides to do its thing.

9 Confirmed Tornadoes Swept Through Michigan Last Week

After initially reporting six, the National Weather Service now says that a total of 9 tornadoes swept through Michigan's lower peninsula late last week.

Gallery Credit: Canva

How Tornadoes are Measured: Understanding the F Scale

Since February 1, 2007, America has used the Enhanced Fujita Scale to determine the strength of a tornado with a scale from EF0 to EF5. With some help from the Old Farmer's Almanac, here's a look at what each of the classifications means and the damage they cause.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow