The audible test of Hall County's severe weather warning system will sound at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 5. This will only be a test. The sirens will sound for approximately three minutes.
The tornado sirens are tested using the wail alert tone once every three months. Other than these previously announced tests, all sirens should be considered to be an actual tornado warning.
As always, Hall County officials are urging citizens to sign up for the Hall County Citizen's Alert System. The Citizen's Alert System notifies residents about severe weather, fires, floods, toxic environmental issues and other important topics within minutes. Messages can be sent to individuals using a variety of contact mechanisms - cell phone, landline, email, text messaging and more - ensuring that Hall County residents receive life-saving emergency information and important public service announcements in minutes. Any individual may self-register, provide additional contact information or opt out. To sign up or learn more, log onto alerts.hallcounty.org.
"Citizens should take severe weather watches and warnings seriously," Director of Hall County Emergency Management Casey Ramsey said. "I encourage all Hall County residents to implement safety measures at home and at work so they can keep themselves and their families safe if and when severe weather strikes."
He encourages residents to have at least two methods of notification active, whether that be a cell phone and landline signed up through the Citizen's Alert System or a NOAA weather radio.
"With all the ambient noise of the television blaring, dinner cooking on the stove or children playing in the house, it's possible you may not hear the weather sirens, which are meant as an outdoor warning, at all," Ramsey said. "For that reason, we encourage everyone to sign up for alerts at alerts.hallcounty.org, get a NOAA weather radio, or better yet - both."
For more information, contact ema@hallcounty.org.