Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Three new warning sirens installed, ready for service.
Crews with Goddard Enterprises, based in Guthrie, Oklahoma, test warning sirens like this one located on South First Street in Tucumcari as part of a new warning system to alert residents.
Residents may have heard the testing of three new warning sirens Tuesday morning as crews work to bring the system online before storm season.
"The plan is to have the system up and operational later this month," said Ralph Lopez, project manager.
Work first began on replacing the city's aged warning sirens in Dec. 2015, the Tucumcari City Commission approved a $37,400 grant agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture to help with the purchase of the sirens.
The commission authorized then City Manager Jared Langenegger to determine the best way to pay the additional $30,600 needed to purchases the sirens.
"These new sirens will give the city a new way to warn residents in the event of disaster or bad weather, " said Robert Lumpkin, mayor pro-tem.
Lopez said there had been a delay with the power hook-up to the sirens. He said that issue has been resolved with crews working to test and bring the system online.
Lopez said the city still needs to work with the Quay County Emergency Manager to coordinate the use of the sirens. He said the sirens are capable of emitting three tones. The tones can be set for a variety of uses, including sever weather warning or a hazmat evacuation.
Lopez said the siren controls are located inside the Central Dispatch center located at the Tucumcari Police Department. He said the dispatchers will undergo training to operate the warning system.
