Alpharetta Proactive on Warning Citizens of Severe Weather Conditions

Posted Saturday, May 27, 2006

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Alpharetta, GA…Warning residents of severe weather conditions, although not required by any statute or ordinance, has been a long standing practice of our public safety professionals.

 

Yesterday afternoon, May 25th, at approximately 4:30 pm, Alpharetta 911 center received several phone calls of a sighted funnel cloud in the Crabapple area. Further, Roswell Fire personnel spotted a funnel cloud just west of Alpharetta approaching our City limits. Based on these sightings of a funnel cloud, our emergency services personnel, per protocol and professional judgment, activated the warning sirens.

 

The events that led up to this activation are as follows:

 

§ What appeared to be a tornado was sighted near Crabapple Road and Arnold Mill Road.

§ Emergency Warning Sirens were activated at 4:45 pm based on calls from Fulton, Roswell, a firefighter and several citizens stating that a funnel cloud was actually sighted.

§ What appeared to be a tornado was sighted at 4:48 pm near Crabapple Road and Houze Road.

§ The Emergency Warning Sirens were activated at 4:50 pm.

§ An Alpharetta uniformed patrol officer observed rotation at Wills Park at 4:51 pm.

§ Another Alpharetta uniformed patrol officer noted slight rotation near Milton High at 4:52 pm.

§ An Alpharetta Firefighter who was in contact with a representative from the National Weather Service who advised that the rotation was possibly a tornado at 4:53 pm.

 

Although the City has received some inquiries and even criticism in regards to the decision processes in activating these sirens, our public safety professionals will continue to take a proactive stance. As stated in a previous press release, activation of the emergency warning sirens will be initiated under the following circumstances:

 

1. A public safety official or duty officer determines that a severe thunderstorm warning with high winds and/or hail poses a threat to the health, safety, and property of city residents.

2. The National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for the North Fulton Area.

3. When a funnel cloud, tornado, or dangerous and damaging winds are spotted by a trained spotter (Fire Department or Police Department member).

4. National Security or local hazardous emergency event occurs which requires immediate evacuation (instructions will follow via local news media).

 

For additional information regarding our emergency warning sirens ad their activation, please contact Justin Wilson, jwilson@alpharetta.ga.us, at 678.297.6317.

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