May 14, 2008 10:29 pm
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By Wally Kennedy
wkennedy@joplinglobe.com
The sounding of Joplin’s storm sirens Tuesday night should not have happened.
Keith Stammer, director of emergency management for Joplin and Jasper County, said Wednesday that the sounding of the sirens by a police dispatcher did not conform to policy.
“These things happen sometimes, and we want to apologize to the citizens of the city,” he said. “It was an example of nervousness and overenthusiasm, which is understandable in light of what happened with the tornado on Saturday.
“But it’s a little hard to argue with someone who errs on the side of caution.”
Stammer said the weather phone in the dispatch center rang Tuesday night with information from the National Weather Service station in Springfield that a tornado warning was being issued for Jasper County. The dispatcher responded by activating the sirens.
Police dispatchers and Stammer are authorized to activate the sirens.
The tornado warning involved the northwest corner of Jasper County. Joplin was not in the path of the storm, he said.
Stammer said he is aware of the problem that is created when the sirens are mistakenly activated.
“The next time, they will wonder if it’s a mistake or not,” he said. “We understand that. That’s why it’s important to keep this sort of thing from happening.”
Stammer said this is the first accidental activation since the city changed its policy to sound the sirens only when Joplin is in the path of a tornado or a thunderstorm with high winds.
Joplin policy
The city’s policy states that sirens are to be activated only when Joplin is in the path of a tornado or a severe thunderstorm that is packing straight-line winds in excess of 75 mph.
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