New emergency warning siren installed at Lake Perry

FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

PERRY COUNTY, Mo., (KBSI) — Residents and visitors at Lake Perry now have another way to receive warnings when severe weather or other emergencies threaten the area.

Perry County Emergency Management coordinated the installation of a new outdoor emergency warning siren. The nearly $40,000 project was approved by the Perry County Commission and funded through a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant administered by the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency.

Emergency Management Director Patrick Naeger said Lake Perry was selected because of its population density, seasonal growth and outdoor recreational activity.

Outside Perryville, Lake Perry has the largest concentration of households in the county. Its population more than doubles during the summer as residents and visitors spend time boating, swimming, fishing and participating in other outdoor activities.

Officials said people on the water, at boat docks or on the beach may not have immediate access to a cellphone. Limited cellular service could also delay text messages and weather alerts.

The siren system uses a geofenced area with a 5-mile radius. It will activate automatically when the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning within that area. Officials can also activate it manually through desktop and mobile applications.

The siren will be tested at 10 a.m. on the first Monday of each month unless severe weather is possible.

Perry County Emergency Management reached an agreement with the Lake Perry Board of Trustees for the project. The Lake Perry community will pay the ongoing electrical costs and annual communication subscription fee.

“I am so excited about Lake Perry being the recipient of a tornado siren,” board President Kathy Hayden said. “We have a lot of people who camp and who are out in boats on the water on weekends, and they need time to make it indoors.”

The siren has an estimated range of 6,500 feet and may also be heard in parts of western Perry County outside the gated community.

Officials stressed that the siren is designed primarily to warn people outdoors and should not replace other notification methods.

“The goal is not to replace other forms of emergency notification, but to give residents as many ways as possible to know when danger is approaching,” Naeger said.

Residents are encouraged to monitor multiple sources for emergency information, including television, weather radios and smartphones.

Naeger said the county will continue seeking grants to install warning sirens in other areas. Future locations will be selected based on population density and the number of residents within a siren’s coverage area.