Whether you’re new to the area or a long-time resident, staying informed is your best defense against the unpredictable forces of nature. In Winston-Salem, understanding the local warning systems is crucial for safety. This article delves into whether you’ll hear tornado sirens and how local alerts work today.
Before the nineties, the Winston-Salem area was equipped with around twenty ‘tornado’ sirens, initially installed as air raid sirens during World War II. These air raid sirens continued their service through the Cold War. After the wars, officials repurposed the sirens to alert the community about treacherous storms.
According to the City of Winston-Salem, the decision to discontinue the sirens was partly due to false activations and increasing maintenance costs. There was also concern that the sirens were hard to hear in newer homes with better insulation and by people watching TV or listening to music, which was how most were learning about hazards in the area anyway.
After I examined the major local events of 1989, I discovered that the city moved away from the tornado sirens shortly after a tornado outbreak devastated the area, the last time the area heard the sirens’ wail. Early storm warnings didn’t exist in 1989, so it was too late to board windows or even drive to a storm shelter when the sirens went off. All you could do was hunker down wherever you were and hope for the best, a discussion I’m sure the community had when deciding whether the sirens were worth the upkeep costs.
Furthermore, the city argued that there was also concern that the sirens were hard to hear in newer homes with better insulation and by people watching TV or listening to music, which was how most were learning about hazards in the area anyway. But what happens when the emergency is while you’re sleeping? Well, that’s your problem. I’m kidding (kind of). After Forsyth County abandoned the sirens, it became the community members’ responsibility to purchase and keep NOAA Weather Radios on hand. According to Spectrum Local News, emergency officials kindly told residents, “With some costing as little as $20… a weather radio (is) the best investment a person could ever make!” Yippee! Residents were to visit the local RadioShack to purchase a weather radio. Weather radios are still around today if you’re interested (RadioShack is a different story). Ready Forsyth has information on programming a weather radio.
Today, most of us rely on Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), emergency messages sent by authorized government alerting authorities through your mobile carrier. These alerts tell you when you may be in harm’s way without downloading an app or subscribing to a service. They are a reliable and secure way to stay informed about potential dangers. Now, if a storm comes in and takes out our cell towers, those with weather radios will have the last laugh. Everyone stay safe out there!
