How are the sirens tested?
The Carver County 911 Communications Center tests and activates all sirens in Carver County at 1:00 pm on the first Wednesday of each month throughout the year. It is also tested every year during Severe Weather Awareness Week which occurs during April each year. The test occurs on Thursday of that week at 1:45 pm and 6:45 pm. Click here for more information on the siren test.
Whose responsibility is it to maintain outdoor warning sirens in Carver County?
The sirens and their associated equipment are purchased and maintained by cities within Carver County. One siren in Baylor Park in Norwood Young America is owned and maintained by Carver County.
Are outdoor warning sirens meant to alert people indoors?
Outdoor warning sirens are meant to alert people outside that there is immediate danger. When you hear outdoor warning sirens, you should:
- Get inside and find a sturdy shelter immediately
- Go to the lowest level
- Find a small room far away from outside windows
- Get into a bathtub or other protective place, like under a sturdy workbench
- Protect your head with a helmet if you can
- Have a battery-powered radio with you in your shelter
- Monitor radio stations and TV stations for information
How do I know when the threat is over?
When the sirens are activated, they will sound for four minutes and then stop. The threat of severe weather does not stop when the sirens stop! Residents should continue to shelter and monitor local TV stations, internet sites, mobile apps, or listen to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio for the duration of the warning period.
What should I do when I am driving in my car, and I hear the outdoor warning sirens?
If the siren sounds while you are in your vehicle, seek shelter immediately. The safest place to be is in a sturdy building, on the lowest level away from windows, with the most walls possible between you and outside. If you cannot get to a safe shelter, either get down in your car and cover your head or abandon your car and seek shelter in a low-lying area such as a ditch or ravine while covering your head with your arms. Do not go under an overpass as the bridge could collapse or become a wind tunnel with flying debris.
Is there a way to receive emergency alerts from Carver County?
Carver County residents can sign up to receive emergency alerts, including severe weather warnings, from the Carver County Citizen Alert System.
To learn more and opt-in, follow this link: Carver County Citizen Alert System
