St. Louis County Emergency Sirens Tested Monday Morning

A warning to St. Louis Country residents Monday morning. St. Louis County will conduct its monthly emergency siren test at 11 a.m. Monday.

According to the St. Louis County website, this will be the first time the county tests its new emergency siren system and only new sirens will be activated.

The county recently overhauled its network of sirens, and all but two of 185 have been installed, said David Barney, executive director for the St. Louis County Emergency Communications Commission. The system costs $7.5 million and is controlled from two locations, one in and the other in Chesterfield.

The new system expands service to western and southern parts of the county that didn't previously have sirens, he said. Additionally, some of the county's older sirens dated back to the 1960s and featured a rotating mechanical horn that was prone to break. Commercial power supported the sirens in the past, meaning the siren would be rendered unusable if a big storm came through the county.

The county website site states the old sirens will not be activated, so residents may notice a difference in the loudness or tone of the sirens. There may also be a change in the pattern of coverage, but the site states that there will be an increase in coverage for most residents.  

An emergency communications sales tax that voters approved in 2009 funded the project, a county news release states.

More information can be found at St. Louis County.com.   

Click here to find out where sirens are located near you.