Once a month, the sirens sound. Ramsey County operates the Outdoor Warning Sirens to notify the public about many types of dangers, including storms, tornadoes, floods, fires, chemical or oil spills and other emergencies.
The sirens are designed to warn anyone who is outside. The siren broadcasts the sound in a 360 degree radius, ensuring that all residents hear the warning. They are not designed to be heard by people indoors. Residents are encouraged to purchase a weather radio if they have concerns about receiving a warning while indoors.
Roseville has 10 emergency sirens. Ramsey County tests the sirens on the first Wednesday of each month at 1:00 p.m. Sirens are battery powered so they can work even during a power outage.
Weather Radio broadcasts National Weather Service (NWS) weather and non-weather related hazard information 24 hours a day. During an emergency, NWS forecasters interrupt regular programming and send out a special tone that activates weather radios in the listening area. Weather radios equipped with a special alarm feature can sound an alert and give you immediate information about a life-threatening situation.
If sirens sound at other hours, tune into your TV, radio or NOAA Weather Radio for information about the type of danger and what steps you should take to protect yourself and your family.
Please do not call 9-1-1 to ask about the sirens, unless you have an emergency. When sirens are sounding during an emergency, dispatchers will be busy managing the emergency and will not have time to answer questions.