Grant Helps Silver Lake Upgrade Town's Tornado Warning System
Posted
Jen Gibson-jgibson@timesuniononline.com
SILVER LAKE - Thanks to a Community Facilities grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, residents of Silver Lake have a better warning system for tornadoes.
Tuesday morning, the town was presented with a check for $12,942 to help with the purchase of two rotating alert sirens to warn residents of severe weather and other emergencies.
The sirens, which will be wired to the Kosciusko County Dispatch Center as well as remote control pads in Silver Lake Police Department patrol vehicles and at the fire station, can be heard throughout the town when activated. The sirens can be set off manually by town officials or by the dispatch center.
The town currently has an old manual fire siren, which cannot be heard all over town or at the lake."Rural Development is very proud to be able to assist Silver Lake with this important project," said USDA Rural Development State Director Robert White. "The community has made a strong commitment to provide quality service to its residents and these funds will enhance its ability to do so. Providing emergency warnings is a vital necessity for the safety of any community."
The $12,942 grant will be added to the town's $24,000 to pay for the sirens and their installation. The town budgeted $22,000 ($10,000 from the cumulative capital development fund and $12,000 from economic development income tax) for the project, and an additional $1,275 has been donated by businesses for the project. Community donations were required in order to apply for and receive the grant.
The town still needs to raise about $750 in donations to pay for the sirens. If the donations are not received, the town will use money from the budget to pay off the project.
Earlier this year, representatives from the siren company went through town and helped pinpoint the best places for the sirens. The new sirens will be placed at the southwest corner of Silver Lake Cemetery just off of Pleasant Street, and at the Indiana State Highway lot just off of Sycamore Street.
The sirens are tentatively scheduled to be installed Monday if weather permits.
The sirens, which are for outdoor warnings, have a one-mile radius. They run on 220-volt power and will be placed on utility poles near existing transformers. The sirens, which will have battery backup for emergencies, will be 48 feet in the air and will have a 35-foot antenna.
Businesses also may install a transmitter box linked to the sirens inside their buildings for $500 to $600. The transmitter boxes will sound an alarm inside the business to alert workers of severe weather conditions.
The sirens will be tested at noon on the first Saturday of each month.
