Clearfield is ready to install, test 3 emergency sirens

CLEARFIELD — The Clearfield City Council recently approved the purchase of three sirens to sound in the community in case of an emergency.

It's part of a community emergency preparedness package begun in 2007 with the purchase of a low-wattage AM radio station that can give residents information they need in an emergency, said Clearfield Mayor Don Wood.

The sirens, which should be installed in Clearfield in the next six to eight weeks, are designed to broadcast a sound that will direct residents to turn on AM 1680.

Wood said his city already employs a reverse 911 system that allows dispatchers to target a region of the city and send out an automated phone call with instructions and information.

But people may not receive the 911 call and during one drill, some residents confused the reverse 911 call for telemarketers and hung up, so the city wanted to set up another notification system.

Clearfield may be one of the most deserving cities for a siren system. The city neighbors Hill Air Force Base, where fighter jets are stationed and receive routine maintenance, and is bisected not only by FrontRunner commuter rail tracks, but also by Union Pacific tracks.

As many as five trains may pass through town in 90 minutes, Wood said, adding that the trains haul all sorts of chemicals that could be dangerous for residents if a crash happened.

Then there's Interstate 15, with its tens of thousands of vehicles that pass through and the thousands of trucks hauling flammable products, explosives and other potentially dangerous items.

So there are plenty of reasons a siren system could be used.

"It's like insurance," Wood said. "You hope you never have to use it."

The city received bids from various companies and accepted the second-lowest bid, from McIntosh Communications for $58,230, because it was the lowest qualified bid, Wood said.

Clearfield is not alone in siren purchases. Provo has a siren warning system and so does Hill Air Force Base.

Communities around the nation have siren systems, as well. Rhode Island's Brown University and Washington County, Minn., have sirens and test them a few times a year.

And the 104 commercial nuclear reactors around the country are required to have sirens in communities within a 10-mile radius.

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E-mail: jdougherty@desnews.com