LONGMONT, Colo. -- An emergency notification system of the past is no longer being used in Longmont.
The city has decided to discontinue the use of its tornado siren system. The network of 17 sirens isn’t working. The repairs are costly and a city official says past experiences have shown the siren may have an opposite effect.
“What we used our system for was to get people that were outside to go inside during a tornado warning. And really, what we saw almost inevitably was people were coming out of the safety of their home to look at what was going on,” said Dan Eamon, of Longmont Emergency Management.
Lightning-detecting software could soon be installed at a pool or a golf course – that’s all in addition to a more-targeted text messaging system.
Besides warning systems on your phone, the city is encouraging people to get weather radios, telling residents if you need help, they’re willing to walk you through on how to use it.
At the same time, more tornado sirens are being added in Aurora amid new development and residential expansion.