Sunday, October 28, 2007

Newcomers 2007

23

Killeen has emergency warning

siren system in place for city

that are from outside the area that come

From staff reports

for Fort Hood events and things of that na-

The city of Killeen is double covered for

ture, they won't know what to do or where

mergency warnings.

to go," Berg said.

After years of protection from just five

The sirens with voiced messages would

broken storm sirens, the Killeen City

be placed in strategic places where many

Council approved the installation of 21 si-

people gather in Killeen such as the high

school stadiums, parks, baseball fields, con-

rens that have enough decibels to be heard

outdoors by almost anybody in the city

ference center and community center.

limits.

He said the new system would be ready

The council approved the purchase of

to grow with Killeen since the sirens are

the sirens in March at a cost of $393,000.

louder than the old ones and some will be

The emergency sirens do more than just

placed on the southern edge of town.

wail when a tornado is bearing down.

In April, the council approved a phone

Killeen Emergency Management Coor-

call warning system. In the event of a tor-

dinator Chad Berg said the new system

nado warning, flash flood, chemical spill,

will include different tones for different

water main break prompting a boil order

emergencies.

or any other disaster in Killeen, city offi-

cials will be able to log onto FirstCall's Web

Besides tones, some sirens will have re-

site and tell the computer what the emer-

corded messages.

gency is, which areas of town will be af-

"The high school areas where there are

large stadiums, large gatherings of people,

fected and what action residents need to

things of that nature, there will be a siren

take.

The system will then call everyone in the

that will tell people where to go and how to

phone book, starting with the ones closest

seek shelter," Berg said.

He said that's especially important in

to the disaster.

this community

.

The system is also used by Harker

Heights and Belton.

"The city of Killeen has so many people