Test conducted by Fort Smith police reveals five malfunctioning tornado sirens; one has since been repaired

Justin Trobaugh
·1 min read

FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Fort Smith Police Department says it conducted a study on April 17 that revealed five of the city’s 31 tornado sirens have “functional issues,” and that one has since been fixed.

According to a press release from the police department, problems range from inaudible alerts to complete non-functionality.

The release says the siren at Riley Farms was fixed after clearing a “carbon build-up.”

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The police department says Motorola handles the technical maintenance and safety assurances of the siren systems. Its crews performed both manual and wireless signal tests which successfully triggered the remaining sirens’ operations, which the department says suggests external factors may have temporarily hindered performance.

According to the release, concerns remain with sirens at four locations:

  • Bailey Hill

  • The intersection of S. 44th Street and Rogers Avenue

  • The intersection of Interstate 540 and Cliff Drive

  • The intersection of Xavier Street and Wheeler Avenue

The police department says it will be conducting permanent weekly tests to further secure the reliability of the tornado siren system which will begin on April 24.

The release says the tests will be conducted from the Fort Smith Police Department Communications Center, Training Center and Arkansas State Police-Troop H. FSPD officers will be assigned to monitor the sirens that had malfunctioned to ensure comprehensive oversight and immediate response to any discrepancies.

FSPD says if there are any remaining concerns about a tornado siren in your area, call 479-709-5000.

Contact Jeramy Ransom at Motorola for technical questions at jeramy.ransom@motorolasolutions.com.

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