Yellowstone County will be testing their emergency equipment and sirens next Wednesday in preparation for any possible emergency situation or weather this upcoming season and year.
Duane Winslow, Yellowstone County Emergency Services director, released the following info today.
AT 6 PM, WEDNESDAY APRIL 22nd, THE DISASTER AND EMERGENCY SERVICES DEPARTMENT OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY WILL BE CONDUCTING A TEST OF ALL 24 OUTDOOR SIRENS ACROSS YELLOWSTONE COUNTY. THIS TEST WILL INVOLVE THE COMMUNITIES OF BILLINGS, LOCKWOOD, LAUREL, BROADVIEW, CUSTER, HUNTLEY, SHEPHERD, AND WORDEN. THE SIRENS WILL BE ACTIVATED FOR ONE MINUTE. ALL 24 SIRENS WILL BE MONITORED BY MEMBERS OF THE YELLOWSTONE AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE. IF THREATENING WEATHER EXISTS THE TEST WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL WEDNESDAY APRIL 30th.
THIS TEST IS BEING CONDUCTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AS PART OF THEIR SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK, AND TO TEST THE OPERABILITY OF THE EQUIPMENT. THIS IS ALSO A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO THINK ABOUT THE ACTIONS THEY WOULD TAKE IN THE EVENT THIS WAS A REAL EMERGENCY.
IF THIS WERE A REAL EMERGENCY, YOU WOULD WANT TO IMMEDIATELY TUNE TO YOUR FAVORITE TELEVISION OR RADIO STATION OR NOAA WEATHER ALL HAZARDS RADIO FOR MORE INFORMATION.