November 4, 2004

Sirens could sing in WRT

       By spring, school children at recess, residents working in their yards and joggers in White River Township could hear the blare of a siren when the weather turns dangerous.  The signal would warn residents to take cover when tornadoes, thunderstorms or other emergency weather conditions exist.  Johnson County officials created a committee two months ago to plan and organize the purchase of additional early-warning sirens for the northwest part of the county.  Members intend to post more outdoor sirens throughout the county, but will start with rapidly growing White River Township.

         Currently, 20 sirens serve as warning signals for residents in Franklin, Greenwood, Whiteland, New Whiteland, Bargersville, Trafalgar and Edinburgh.  White River Township residents, and others living outside of the cities and towns, don’t have warning sirens.  “With the tornadoes this area has had in the last 15 to 20 years, we consider the outdoor warning systems a priority,” said Steve Pappas, Local Emergency Planning Commission chairman and committee member.  The 10-member committee hopes to install at least one new siren in White River Township by March or April.  A long-term plan calls for about 14 more warning systems to go up.  Issues committee members must consider are what areas need sirens, cost of equipment and installation, how to raise funds and who will install and maintain the sirens.  One siren can cost about $15,000 including installation, so the committee is brainstorming fund-raising ideas.  Donations have already started trickling in.  Cinergy Foundation, based in Cincinnati, awarded the committee a $2,000 grant for the purchase of sirens.  Johnson County Emergency Management Director Forest “Tug” Sutton applied for the grant earlier this year.  The Johnson County REMC volunteered to donate the poles needed to mount the sirens, Pappas said.  Utility workers might install each pole and post the warning systems also.

         Both schools and fire stations are likely sites to install the sirens because both have the space for poles and electricity to power the warning systems, Sutton said.  Jerry Dunn, assistant superintendent of Center Grove schools and siren committee member, wants one siren posted at five to six of the township’s schools.  Center Grove will purchase the sirens with money from the capital projects fund and other similar funds, Dunn said.  No decision has been made as to what schools would serve as siren sites.  But Dunn plans to post one at the district’s seventh elementary school, adding the expense to the overall construction costs.  Sutton hopes to place a siren near the site of Franklin’s future high school also.

         The committee’s next step will be attending civic organization meetings such as Kiwanis, Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce.  Members will pass out pamphlets that inform potential donors of the need for sirens.  Sutton wants everyone in the county to be within ear shot of a siren, but realizes the cost prevents that from becoming reality.  “With the economy being sluggish and it being so close to Christmas time, it will be difficult to raise money,” Sutton said.  “But for the sake of public safety, any money we raise would be good.”

         A Columbus-based siren vendor’s representative, Rick Sauer, will study maps of White River Township to pinpoint spots where sirens should be installed and determine how many are needed to reach as many residents as possible.  He will present his findings to the committee at its meeting at 7 p.m. Nov. 23 at White River Township Fire Department headquarters.  Committee members hope to make decisions and start finalizing plans before the end of the calendar year.  Once the group develops a strategy, they will present a report to county commissioners for approval to move forward with the project.  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)

 

---