Audrain County Emergency 911 Center is updating its outdoor warning sirens policy

MEXICO, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Audrain County Emergency 911 Center is updating its' activation policy concerning the outdoor warning sirens after the National Weather Service changed its severe thunderstorms warnings.

The National Weather Service will now issue severe thunderstorm warnings when winds are expected to be 80 miles per hour or more and large, damaging hail 2 and 3/4 inch (baseball size) or larger and an event close to Audrain County in July.

“We had been discussing the move to sound the sirens when a severe storm warning was issued with the destructive tag after I received an email talking about the change at the National Weather Service from Major Brice Mesko at Mexico Public Safety,” Audrain County Emergency 911 Director Amanda Crewse said. “We talked about it internally and made the decision to make the change to the policy. The Perry storm just solidified our decision for us.”

Crewse says most of the warning sirens in the county could play an automated message alerting anyone outside the possible threat of a destructive severe thunderstorm or a tornado.

The policy change will take effect immediately.