Siren test coming in Hot Springs

As part of a product test by a siren vendor, downtown area residents are advised that they may hear both siren tones and voice announcements on Wednesday afternoon, August 29, beginning at 1 p.m.  The voice announcement will include the words, “This is only a test.”  The test may be heard beyond the downtown area.

The test is part of the Hot Springs Stormwater Division’s budgeted plan to install a downtown emergency warning siren system.  The system will primarily be used for flood and tornado warnings, and will target the downtown area from the Whittington/Park/Central Avenue intersection south to Grand Avenue.

The emergency warning siren system is intended to augment the city’s CodeRED emergency notification system, which can send phone, text and email to area residents within a matter of minutes.  A CodeRED message will be sent to all Municipal Utilities customers the day before the test as an additional means of notification.