One Powerful Siren Is Greater Than the Sum of 3

One is better — and more powerful — than three.

A new downtown Rochester tornado siren will replace three older sirens scattered throughout the city in October.

The new siren will provide tornado warnings throughout much of Rochester as well as some outlying areas.

“It will cover all the areas of the old sirens, and then some,” Oakland County Homeland Security Manager Ted Quisenberry said. Each of the old sirens could be heard for about one-quarter of a mile.

The new siren will be installed behind a public parking lot at Second and Main. It is expected to reach the portion of southeast Rochester currently out of the existing sirens' range.

The county will cover 25 percent of the estimated $23,000 cost, with the other 75 percent coming from the city.

"If there are no soil problems or any other unexpected issues, the actual cost should be somewhat lower," said Tracey McGee of the county's Homeland Security Division. Quick and easy installation could shave up to $3,000 off the total cost.

The new siren will become part of the county's emergency warning system and will be maintained by Oakland County.

When the new siren is up and running, the city will deactivate its sirens at the fire station, Mount Avon Cemetery and the department of public works building.

Members of the county commission’s general government committee unanimously approved the project Monday. Final approval by the full county board is expected by the end of this month.

Commissioner Jeff Matis (R-Rochester) is pleased with the project and the bipartisan support it received from his fellow commissioners.

“This is certainly important,” he said of the new siren.