UNIVERSITY, CITY STUDY DIFFERENT EMERGENCY WARNING SYSTEMS

Southeast Missouri State University is moving ahead with plans to install outdoor warning sirens, but the city isn't following suit.

Cape Girardeau officials are looking at obtaining a radio transmitter from the National Weather Service so area residents can receive storm warnings on weather radios.

An Iowa company demonstrated outdoor warning sirens at Southeast Missouri State University Tuesday afternoon. Fessler Inc. of North Liberty, Iowa, demonstrated tone sirens as well as voice messages that can be delivered through the speakers.

Five speakers were suspended about 25 to 30 feet in the air at the end of a boom. The sirens were activated near the Show Me Center and later near the Scully Building.

The university wants to install outdoor warning sirens to alert the campus community about severe storms and other emergencies.

This was the second demonstration involving a potential bidder. The first was in August.

A university committee aided by a consultant has explored the idea of installing a warning system on campus. Southeast has advertised for bids for installing such a system. The bid deadline is Monday.

Dr. Pauline Fox, vice president of administration and enrollment management, said outdoor sirens could be in place by the end of the year. "We definitely want to have it in place before the start of the spring storm season," she said. "We would like to have a system that would provide campuswide coverage."

Beth Glaus of Southeast's Department of Public Safety is the school's emergency plan coordinator. She serves on the committee that has explored the warning system issue.

Glaus said the sirens are designed to warn people who are outdoors. Some people may be able to hear the sirens in campus buildings, but a siren system isn't designed to alert people in buildings, she said.

Glaus was stationed outside the Towers residence halls during Tuesday's testing. She said the sirens could be heard from both the Show Me Center and later the Scully Building locations.

"Obviously, the one from Scully was louder than the one from the Show Me Center," said Glaus, explaining that the Scully site is closer to Towers.

While the ability to make announcements over the speakers can be helpful, Glaus said the warning tones are the most important part of any siren system. "The verbal announcement is just a wonderful icing on the cake."

Mayor Al Spradling said outdoor sirens haven't worked in Cape Girardeau in the past. "Right now it doesn't seem to be something we are looking at," he said.

City officials have said it would take at least 20 sirens to provide adequate warning. That could cost $300,000, they said.

A radio weather-warning system would be less costly, they said.

Tracey Glenn, public information officer for the city, said a radio transmitter could cost $70,000.

The city also would need a generator and have to rent space on a radio or other communications tower. "Tower space is not cheap these days," she said.

Glenn said the university and the city are aware of each other's efforts to improve disaster warning, but the two aren't coordinating their actions.

City officials said there is no need to coordinate efforts since the city has no plans to put in outdoor warning sirens.

Spradling said outdoor sirens do little to alert residents inside their homes, offices or cars.

Glenn said sirens make more sense for the university because of the pedestrian traffic. But Glenn said a radio warning system has the potential to reach more people, assuming they buy the radios. Weather radios cost about $10 at local stores.

The biggest problem with the current radio warning system is that the closest transmitter is in Dexter, Mo., about 40 miles from Cape Girardeau.

The city is talking with the State Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service about getting a transmitter in this area.

Staff with the National Weather Service and the State Emergency management Agency are scheduled to visit Cape Girardeau next Thursday to meet with city officials.