Tornado Sirens Eyed for Recreation Areas

Strongsville is looking to install tornado sirens near the city's outdoor recreation areas to warn of approaching storms.

Mayor Tom Perciak said city officials are researching sirens "in strategic places" that would warn people who are in the parks and on recreational fields.

"We're not doing it citywide," Perciak said.

Ward 3 Councilman Mark Roth, who said he has been pushing for bad-weather warning sirens since 1989, called the plan "a start.

"Anything like this is an improvement," Roth said.

Ward 4 Councilman Scott Maloney said he received received several calls from residents after intense thunderstorms a couple weeks ago.

One resident pointed out that telephone and Internet warning systems are fine, but "what if I'm driving in my car?" Maloney said.

Perciak said John Bedford, the city's director of technology, and Fire Chief Jeff Branic are already looking into the matter.

"We have no idea what the cost will be yet," Perciak said.

Ward 2 Councilman Ray Haseley said the city tested sirens several years ago and found models that were supposed to be heard for 2 miles could barely be heard a mile away.

Neighboring Brunswick erected tornado sirens a number of years ago, but had to disable them after a hacker found a way to set them off and did so -- twice -- in the middle of the night.

Bedford said Strongsville's sirens will have a different design and scope than other cities'. He also said he expects the city to move fast on the project.

"We hope to have something very quickly," he said.