Steady-tone sirens can save your life in a tornado Published April 30, 2009 By By Joe B. Wiles 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Just before a tornado touched down in north Enid last Saturday night, a series of three-minute steady warning sirens alerted residents it was coming. Although the tornado ripped off roofs, tipped over trailers and downed power lines, there were no serious injuries reported, according to local news sources. "When the sirens go off, it means there is imminent danger," said Mike Honigsberg, the director of Garfield County and Enid's Emergency Management. He said Enid residents know, when they hear those sirens, to take shelter and tune into local radio stations and watch the television for information on where the tornado is located. The Enid sirens sound a single three-minute steady tone then shut off, according to Mr. Honigsberg. "We sound them several times." According to the Garfield County Emergency Management Web site, there is no "All clear" signal in the system. The site recommends taking shelter immediately when the sirens sound, then tune to one of the following radio or television stations for more information: KGWA-AM 960 KCRC-AM 1390 KOFM-FM 103.1 KNID-FM 99.7 KXLS-FM 95.7 KEIF-FM 104.7 Cable television stations 4, 5, 8, 9 and 11 Vance operates a separate warning system to alert base residents of tornado threats. "There are 13 towers across the base that will sound a steady siren," said Airman 1st Class Benjamin Ekblad, in the Vance Command Post. When the Command Post receives notification from the base weather flight of a tornado threatening Vance, they initiate the warning-siren system. When the tornado threat is over, the sirens stop and an all clear is announced over the same speaker towers. Last Saturday night, the Vance sirens did not sound. "We verified with base weather that Vance was still only under a tornado watch," said Airman Ekblad. A tornado warning was in effect for northern Enid, but not Vance. A tornado watch means tornados and other kinds of severe weather are possible in the next several hours. It does not mean tornadoes are imminent -- just that you need to be alert, and be prepared to go to safe shelter if tornadoes do happen or a warning is issued. Sirens sound when a tornado warning is issued. A warning means that a tornado has been spotted, or that Doppler radar indicates a thunderstorm circulation which can spawn a tornado. When a tornado warning is issued or the sirens sound, take immediate safety precautions. According to Senior Airman Jennifer DePrinzio, with the 71st Logistics Readiness Squadron's Readiness and Emergency Management, residents in the older part of base housing should move to the middle of the house, preferably the bathroom. In newer housing there are built-in shelters, she said. Dormitory residents will find sheltering information on their building's bulletin board. "They should move to the inner most part of the lowest level in the building," said Airman Deprinzio. She recommended everyone check the bulletin board in their work location for sheltering instruction in case of severe weather.