Wayne Township awarded grant for warning sirens
Thanks to a grant from the Ohio Emergency Management Agency, Wayne Township will be installing four warning sirens to help provide township residents advance warning of approaching storms.
When a second chance grant opportunity to apply for unused funds in the Ohio Emergency Management Agency’s Special Projects program became available last December, the Wayne County commissioners granted a request by the Wayne Township trustees to file the grant application on their behalf.
During their Feb. 16 meeting, John Wise, Wayne County Emergency Management Agency director, advised the commissioners that the grant application was successful and that Wayne Township will be awarded 50 percent of the cost of the total project, up to a maximum of $41,955.
“I really want to acknowledge the fact that they stepped up,” said Wise, of the Wayne Township trustees’ decision to pay the 50 percent match necessary to obtain the grant funds.
“They are making a major contribution to this. Many times people are looking for ways to fund (outdoor warning sirens) 100 percent and that just doesn’t happen,” he said.
Wise noted that the township trustees and the Emergency Management Agency are currently working with the county’s GIS department and the manufacturer of the sirens to determine the exact locations of the four sirens to be installed as part of the project. The aim of those discussions is to find locations that provide the maximum amount of coverage for the 4,200 residents of Wayne Township.
Wise noted that the four locations the team is currently looking at would provide coverage to 85 percent of the township, and would be located in the most heavily populated areas.
The four new sirens being installed in Wayne Township are part of a growing network of outdoor sirens intended to provide local residents with warning of impending storms while they are outdoors and away from television and radio broadcasts.
According to Wise, the 59 warning sirens currently in place in cities, villages and townships throughout the county cover in excess of half of the county, including all of Rittman, Orrville, Chippewa Township, Baughman Township, Salt Creek Township and a large portion of Wooster Township.
One of the more notable gaps in siren coverage is in the city of Wooster, which Wise said is only 35 to 40 percent covered at this time.
The remaining gaps in coverage are scattered around the county.
The addition of new sirens, like the ones in Wayne Township, is part of an ongoing effort to fill those gaps.
“I appreciate the fact that they are contributing to about 60 sirens that we now have in the county for weather warnings,” said Wise.
“We thank the trustees for stepping up to the plate to protect the citizens of Wayne Township and the rest of the county,” said Wayne County Commissioner Jim Carmichael.
After the meeting, Wise noted that installation of the sirens is expected to be complete this spring.
Just in time for the 2011 tornado season.
Published: February 23, 2011
