Atlas Twp.- And now there are three.
More area residents will soon have loud and clear notification of inclement weather following last week’s announcement that funding for a third township tornado siren was approved.
A grant from the Genesee County Emergency Management and Homeland Security of $19,000 was awarded last week to the township and will be used to purchase a new tornado siren located near Irish and Jordan roads on the west side of the township. The cost of the project is $20,400.
‘The goal is when residents are outside they can hear the siren,? said Shirley Kautman-Jones, township supervisor. ‘The current siren covers the village, golf course and the Goodrich schools campuses. The second siren was installed last year and is located near Ridge and Lakeshore roads. It’s all about letting people know in the event of a storm. Some have considered using a weather radio, but not everyone has access outside. The idea will be to raise the siren high enough so it can oscillate near higher populated areas.?
On Jan. 20, the township board of trustees moved forward on two grant requests, which included the tornado siren and a well for fire suppression near the Davison Township border where the township is underserved. The well grant was denied.
The year’s first area warning siren tests will be at 1 p.m., March 7. All tests will be the first Saturday of each month at 1 p.m. There are no tests in December, January or February.
The comprehensive siren project began in November 2013 when Jeffrey DuPilka, president of Allendale-based West Shore Services, reviewed the outdoor warning coverage area for the township. The company is the largest distributor of warning equipment in Michigan.
The report from West Shore designated eight priority locations for areas to be covered with warning sirens. The locations include Ridge Road north of Lakeshore, Jordan and Irish roads, Gale Road south of Farnsworth Road, Kipp Road east of Henderson Road, Perry Road just east of Atlas Road, Hill Road east of Walker Road, McCandlish Road just east of Vassar Road and Hegel Road just west of Henderson Road.
The 36-square miles of Groveland Township in Oakland County are covered by nine sirens. To the east in Brandon Township, 12 tornado serins plus two fire stations alert residents of pending storms. In Genesee County, Davison Township has one siren.