Anyone who has spent time in Tooele County on a Wednesday afternoon may have been greeted by an unexpected — and loud — siren at 4 p.m.
The distinct “whoop whoop” of the siren can be a bit off-putting for new residents and visitors unfamiliar with the county’s outdoor warning system. Calls with questions, concerns — and requests to turn the siren volume down — are not-uncommon occurrences, according to Tooele County Emergency Management Director Bucky Whitehouse.
The county’s current sirens were installed in 2001 as an early-warning system during the incineration of materials at the former Deseret Chemical Depot. After an initial 37 sirens were installed, an additional 33 were installed by 2003 for a total of 70 sirens countywide.
After the mission to destroy the stockpile of chemical materials and munitions was complete, the county scaled back the number of sirens to 31 operated by TCEM and eight sirens in the North and South areas of Tooele Army Depot, according to TCEM communications technician Andy Tanner. The additional sirens were taken down to be used for replacement parts and removed from remote areas of the county to save costs and focus on heavily populated areas.
“Tooele County has probably one of the most robust early-warning systems in the state,” Whitehouse said.
The sirens are solar-powered, battery-operated and mounted on 60-foot-high poles, with a broadcast range of approximately 3 to 5 miles, Tanner said. They can broadcast 14 different messages related to the original Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program function, but can transmit live voice in case of an evacuation or other disaster-related communications.
For a time, the sirens were used to alert fire personnel to an emergency but that function was replaced with a pager system, Whitehouse said.
Now the sirens are used for any necessary situation, such as evacuations due to fires or flooding, earthquakes or severe storm warnings, according to TCEM. The sirens can be activated individually, in regional groups or as an entire system.
The weekly test of the sirens ensures the system is working properly and allows TCEM to check the battery and solar levels of the equipment, Tanner said. Whitehouse added the sirens also teach citizens what to listen for in case of an emergency.
The sirens were funded through CSEPP funding and rarely require extensive maintenance, Tanner said. Batteries must be replaced every two to three years as part of routine maintenance, he said.
Another concern for the siren system, however, is vandalism. The sirens have been used for target practice and solar panels have been broken before, which can result in expensive fixes.
If someone is near a siren and sees a flashing blue light, it’s an indicator the siren system is in need of maintenance. Anyone who sees a blue light on the siren tower can call TCEM at 435-833-8100 or the county’s dispatch system at 435-882-5600.