Why Does The Siren Go Off In Smithville At Noon?
Why does the siren go off in Smithville at noon? And how do I know when to take shelter? Here are the three different types of sirens and what you need to do for each type:
By Kristen Meriwether, Publisher
If you’ve been outside in Smithville on most weekdays at noon, you’ve probably heard the long, loud siren.
Here’s what it sounds like, and what most dogs do when they hear it:
Our trusty sidekick, Manny, listening to the "noon whistle" at the Smithville Dog Park.
So what does it mean? And how do I know when to take shelter? Here are the three different types of sirens and what you need to do for each type:
“Noon Whistle”
Every non-holiday weekday at high noon, they give one *short, single blow of the siren. Originally designed as a system test, it has become synonymous with lunchtime in Smithville.
They do not blow the noon whistle on the weekends or holidays.
Our trusty sidekick, Manny, letting us know it's lunch time at the Smithville Dog Park.
What do I need to do when I hear this?
This is just a system test, so no need to do anything.
*Sometimes they lay on the siren a little longer, but rest assured, if you just hear one tone and it’s at noon on a weekday, it’s just the noon whistle.
Fire Department Emergency Notification Siren
When the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department is called out, there will be two short blows of the siren.
Since these happen without notice, we don’t have a video of a two-tone siren, so we edited a one-tone video together to emulate it.
An edited video to show what two tones would sound like.
What do I need to do when I hear this?
Unless you are on the volunteer fire department, you don’t need to do anything. But if you leave the house, take caution, as there may be emergency vehicles on the roads.
Take Shelter Notification
If the National Weather Service issues a Tornado Warning, the Chief of Police can approve using the tone to warn the community. That tone will be FIVE short blows of the siren, repeated three times with one minute in between each set for a total of 15 short blows of the siren.
After the threat has passed, there will be one short siren blow to notify citizens that all is clear.
We do not have video of that and hope we never will! But as you can imagine, it’s a lot of sirens and very different from the noon whistle and double siren for the fire department call-out tone.
What do I need to do when I hear this?
Immediately take shelter! Find an interior room away from windows and don’t forget your pets! Here are some National Weather Service tips.
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