Starting next week, the Wrangell Volunteer Fire Department will set off a noon siren on weekdays to continually test its warning system.
It’s been years since the community could set its clocks by the noon whistle. The hard-wired system from the Public Safety Building failed long ago, but the siren is coming back, with a new radio controller, according to Fire Chief Jordan Buness.
“The Wrangell Volunteer Fire Department has completed upgrades to the community warning siren located at the corner of Front Street and Case Avenue,” Buness said.
The daily tests will start next week, at noon Monday through Friday every week.
Residents will hear the siren “for approximately six seconds,” Buness said.
The noon siren will be controlled by a time-clock.
The chief said last week he wanted to give residents plenty of notice before starting the tests.
Consistent with its historical use, the siren will alert fire department volunteers and reserve members to confirmed structure fires, Buness said. The fire alert will be a repeating 12-second-on, 12-second-off siren pattern lasting approximately two minutes.
