The following statement is from Kent County Emergency Management Coordinator Lt. Louis Hunt:

 

The Kent County Emergency Management and the City of Grand Rapids Emergency Management will begin monthly tests of the outdoor warning sirens tomorrow, Friday April 5, at noon.

 

If you do not hear the siren testing, and believe you should have, please contact your local township or city office. The tests will continue the first Friday of each month, April through October, at noon.

 

The purpose of the outdoor warning sirens is to provide one of many means to alert residents of an imminent hazard and to prompt them to find shelter and seek further information. The sirens are one facet of a broad system of emergency warning that also includes weather and media apps for smart phones, NOAA radios, and local radio and television alerts.

 

It is important to understand that the outdoor warning sirens may not be able to reach the interior of all homes due to distance, improved housing construction and sound deadening features, or the specific location within the home such as a basement.

 

Therefore, redundant methods of emergency alert are recommended. The testing of the outdoor warning sirens is also an excellent time to discuss plans for severe weather with your family and in your workplace.