Emergency Officials Offer Tips on Severe Weather Preparedness

Around 8 p.m. Wednesday warning sirens went off around Starling Airport Road in Arnold alerting residents to the severe storms that were headed our way.

I heard the sirens and headed to the basement with my laptop of course. I posted that the sirens were going off on the Arnold Patch Facebook page. The Facebook post generated more than 30 comments from our readers, some of whom said they heard no warning sirens and did not get their Code Red calls. 

Warren Robinson, Jefferson County's emergency management director, said warning sirens weren't designed to be heard indoors.

"It's a common misconception, but the sirens are meant as outdoor warnings," he said. "The best advice is to buy an all hazards weather radio and sign up for CodeRED."

CodeRED is a reverse 911 system that sends an alert to your landline or cell phone in the event of emergency situations, including severe weather. The alert is sent out shortly after the National Weather Service issues a warning.

However, several Arnold Patch readers said they did not get their CodeRED alert Wednesday night.

Robinson said residents only get an alert if they are in the direct patch of impending severe weather. He said, "It's possible those residents were outside of the warning area." 

Robinson advises residents who did not get their CodeRED alert Wednesday night to call the Jefferson County 911 Dispatch Office at 636-797-9797.

For tips on what to do before, during and after severe weather and other natural disasters, click here.