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Community Corner

UPDATED: Faulty Sirens? No, The Storm Was Too Quick

Sheriff's Office spokeswoman says sirens are intended for people outside and residents inside should be 'weather aware.'

The debris from the May 22 tornado that hit Golden Valley may be long gone. But for many residents, the question still remains—why weren't they warned?

Quite simply, "the storm occurred too quickly," said Golden Valley Fire Chief Mark Kuhnly. Officials with the Hennepin County Sheriff's Department activated sirens within 45 seconds of receiving a National Weather Service warning, according to reports.

Unfortunately for some, it wasn't enough time to take cover. And for Tyrol Crest resident Thomas Brokl, it was three to five minutes too late. 

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"I was watching television in a room that had windows all over the place. If the storm had been any stronger, I would have been dodging glass," he said.

Yet while Brokl expressed disappointment the sirens in his neighborhood didn't sound until well after the tornado had passed, he agreed with Kuhnly's assessment.

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"[The storm] came by fast," Brokl said, explaining the landscape outside his home changed in a moment's time. "I looked up from my television to see a circling gray cloud and bent trees."

He wasn't the only one taken by surprise. Golden Valley resident Barbara Klaas headed to the basement only after seeing the approaching tornado out her window. She never heard warning sirens.

Kuhnly explained some siren failures may have resulted from power outages that occurred prior to the tornado or prior to Hennepin County's siren activation.

Though many Golden Valley sirens are in excess of 20 years old—as they are in most areas—Kuhnly stressed, "they are absolutely working properly."

The Fire Chief noted local sirens are checked on a regular basis, and the city has no plans to replace them. 

"One really important fact—sirens are intended for people who are OUTSIDE," said Lisa Kiava, Hennepin County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman, in a statement. "Sirens are NOT designed to warn people inside their homes. We urge people to be 'weather aware' during severe weather season.

"Know the forecast in advance and if severe weather is predicted or the weather looks threatening in your area—plan to keep tabs on it and be prepared to take shelter based on warnings from local media or an alert from the National Weather Service from a weather radio or your smartphone."

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