Severe weather or regular volunteer fire alarm? Easton, MD residents wouldn't know

On April 21, 2009 I recorded an incredible example of how confusing the Talbot County Emergency Management's Tri-County Siren Alarm System is. We heard the air raid sirens all over town go off and looked out the window to find that rain had begun, the wind had picked up, and lightning bolts were crashing down in the distance. Virtually every time it rains there is a car accident somewhere in town and every time there is an accident they use the air raid sirens to alert the volunteer fire department. So was this a localized emergency or an imminent danger situation that all citizens should know about? The summons for the Town's Volunteer Fire Department (which go off about 3 times daily) is a wavering tone 5 seconds up 3 seconds down, imminent danger is 6 up 2 down. As the wind increased we began to wonder if this siren might be a severe weather "Warning", but a brochure from the Emergency Management assured us that a severe weather warning signal was a 2-minute steady signal which we did not hear. We turned on our TV, just in case, and found that indeed there WAS a severe thunderstorm warning being issued for our area with 60 mile an hour winds and continuous lightning strikes. The air raid siren ceased after two minutes and we could hear emergency vehicles responding to the nearby intersection of highway 50. Suddenly the fire signal went off again for another 2 minutes of wavering tones. When I phoned Emergency Management I was told that the sirens in this video are the fire summons because the sirens are never used for Severe Weather, only Hurricanes and Tornadoes. I ask, "Why not? Isn't that what they're for?" To alert us when danger threatens?

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• volunteer
• fire
• siren
• alarm
• easton
• maryland
• talbot
• county
• imminent
• danger
• signal
• emergency
• management
• severe
• weather
• warning
• system

[ghostdrew1]

that looked to me like power flashes in the video

[SuperMoussey]

are you dead?

[SuperMoussey]

Why did the sirens go off again with a fire truck?

[SuperMoussey]

Realy that is a tornado siren not inimmet danger I am a storm chaser and I here sirens when I drive but I do not set off the eas

[SuperMoussey]

@howwouldweknowthedif now

[SuperMoussey]

Plz

[SuperMoussey]

I think servere thunderstorm means thunderstorm warning lightning storm warning and tornado to live take cover send your message in the comment area if you are alive

[Thewoog34]

So you can't tell the difference between fast wail and regular attack mode?

[billy5853]

maybe it could of been a very bad storm 

[Hobbitchoker]

All Volunteer Fire Departments by the standards of NIMS/ICS should have a way of communication by radio or pager. The siren SHOULD be used for severe weather warning. Perhaps you can bring that up so Volunteer FD can respond without the...YOUR GONNA DIE BITCH(!!!) alarm going off.