False Alarm Caused By Vandals, Weather

The false alarm was probably the result of vandalism to the control box located at the base of the pole, according to Andy Hall of the Electric Department. Hall had been dispatched to turn the siren off manually.

The lock had been forcibly removed and the door was open allowing the wind to blow rain into the control box. The water shorted out the system setting off the siren.

Reports of severe weather moving through the area at the time caused some to believe the city was under a tornado warning.

Mayor Larry Hart said that citizens should always take the siren seriously and take immediate action. “We always need to count on it – especially in the spring – as being the real thing.”

“Once or twice a year we may have rainwater get in on the circuit somewhere as was the case today and the alarm will set itself off,” he added.

Hart said that City officials realize the anxiety that sounding the sirens causes in the community and that factor is taken into consideration. But, officials always err on the safe side.

“We will sound the siren often times when Doppler radar indicates a tornado in the area even though it may not be on the ground.”

There are two other sirens in the city, one on the north end of town and another to the south. Neither sounded Thursday. Normal testing of all the sirens is held on the first Tuesday of each month as long as there is no threatening weather in the area.

The downtown siren is located south of the Casey Jones Railroad Museum and behind a parking lot and car wash used as a hangout by local youths.