Mayor Encourages Preparedness
Posted/updated on: May 27, 2011 at 4:50 pm
TYLER — Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass is encouraging residents to register their home and cell phone numbers on the City Code Red System. This system is used by emergency management officials to notify residents of emergency situations. The system is used in a myriad of emergency situations, including amber alerts, missing persons, gas leaks and extreme weather emergencies.
“The purpose of the Code Red system is to get information to our citizens as quickly as possible in an emergency situation,” said Mayor Bass. “Many of us rely upon the media for this type of notification; however, if you are not tuned in to your television when a situation arises, you may not be aware of the need for action.” The City recently used the Code Red system to warn Tyler residents to take cover due to a tornado sighting. Although the City does have outdoor warning sirens, residents inside their home may not hear them in the event of an emergency.
“The key word is outdoor,” explained Police Chief Gary Swindle. “If you are inside your home, it is quite possible you may not hear the outdoor sirens – particularly if you have music playing, are watching TV, if the wind is blowing or there is heavy rainfall. The Code Red system will call your home or cell phone to alert you of emergencies. We encourage residents to register their phone numbers if they haven’t already.”
Click on https://cne.coderedweb.com/Default.aspx?groupid=21wKlSaog8sfkw7OHS29qQ%3d%3d for the direct link to the Code Red registration page. Additionally, you can click on the Code Red icon on the ktbb.com news page and look on the right hand side of the City of Tyler home page. “If your home phone number is listed, it will already be registered with Code Red,” explained Swindle. “However, if your home number is unlisted, or you have a cell phone, it is not automatically registered and you should go to the Code Red web page to ensure you receive emergency alerts.”
In addition to the Code Red system and warning sirens, the City has the capability to override Suddenlink’s basic cable channels with emergency alerts. This is typically initiated when warning sirens are activated. The City of Tyler has 31 outdoor warning sirens that are fully functional and at maximum efficiency. They are broadcasting at 125 decibels at 100 feet. All of the City’s sirens have a battery back-up power source in the event of power outages.
The sound from the siren decreases as distance from the horn increases. Hills, valleys, buildings, trees and other obstructions may have an overall negative effect on the sound level perceived by the listener. The sirens purchased by City of Tyler have an overall effective design radius of .85 miles at 70 decibels in open terrain. The volume of the siren tone is fixed and cannot be increased or decreased. If the listener is near a loud radio, television or other sound source, the siren may not be heard. Additionally, if the listener is inside a car or home, the sirens may not be heard.
“During storm conditions, wind can interfere with our ability to hear the outdoor warning sirens,” added Chief Swindle. “As wind increases, so does the resultant noise that it produces. People have stated that a tornado sounds similar to an approaching freight train producing a roaring sound that can mask any other sound or audible communication.”
Persons with varying degrees of hearing loss may have difficulty hearing the sirens. Also, persons at rest or sleeping may not be awakened by the sirens. Therefore, in addition to registering for Code Red notifications, weather alert radios or alert receivers* are strongly recommended for all dwellings, businesses, schools, mobile homes and occupied trailers.
“I read recently that on average tornado deaths in the United States have gone from 8 per 1 million people in 1925 to 0.11 per 1 million people today,” added Mayor Bass. “However, in light of the recent tragedies and storm activity, it is extremely important that we all do what we can to ensure we are notified of impending danger and take appropriate precautions.”
*One example is http://www.alertnotification.com/TheInformer_7259.aspx
