Celina outlines plans for new outdoor warning sirens
Published: Thu, 09/15/22
Celina outlines plans for new outdoor warning sirens
Audrey Henvey / Celina Record / Star Local Media
Celina Record
By Audrey Henvey
Star Local Media
Sept 14, 2022
The Celina City Council on Tuesday approved allocating $34,880 to engineering firm TRC Engineers for the design of outdoor warning sirens to be placed around the city.
Assistant City Manager Kim Brawner said plans are to provide 18 sirens in three phases over roughly three to four years. According to her presentation, the city is looking to replace existing sirens and install new ones to warn the city of hazardous events, such as weather incidents.
Current efforts have included working with Celina and Prosper ISDs, with plans to have sirens at every fire station and elementary school.
Current plans indicated having “large sirens” that can cover about two miles located at Fire Stations one, two and three; Celina High School and the city’s forthcoming police station.Assistant Fire Chief Eric Everson said technology has improved over time on outdoor sirens which now includes lightning detection, radio broadcast capabilities and the ability to be set off remotely.
“So the technology’s really improved, and I think the technology is going to be sound and something that will sustain us for a very long time,” he said.
There are also plans to have smaller sirens located at elementary schools in Celina as well as at G.A. Moore Middle School. Brawner said the primary goal for the smaller sirens is to alert children who are outside so that they can get inside.
In addition, the presentation indicated plans to replace sirens in the downtown and at Old Celina Park, and to provide a siren at the original Bobcat Field.
Brawner said the city will go through a formal evaluation as part of the procurement process. She projected that the project overall would take three to four years and would cost in total about $2.8 million.
Councilmember Andy Hopkins noted that the sirens are designed for people outside to get inside, which Everson confirmed.
“It’s not meant necessarily for you to hear every word that comes across, but if you hear it, it means go inside and check the weather, check your local weather, check your app, check your TV, things like that,” Everson said.
Everson added that the sirens are a supplement to CodeRED, the city’s resource for communicating critical community alerts and information about emergencies. Residents can sign up for CodeRed at this link (bit.ly/3S4PkyE).The council unanimously approved the design agreement.
Audrey Henvey is the reporter for the Frisco Enterprise, McKinney Courier-Gazette and Celina Record. Email her with story suggestions at ahenvey@starlocalmedia.com.