In 2009, Coweta County 911, Coweta County Emergency Management and Newnan Utilities entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the roles and responsibilities of each party during the use of the weather sirens during a tornado warning declared by the National Weather Service. The weather sirens will be used to support the warning efforts of the citizens of Newnan, Georgia.
It is understood that Coweta County 911 will:
a. Notify Newnan Utilities Control Room and advise them that Newnan/Coweta County has been placed under a tornado warning by the National Weather Service.
It is understood that Coweta County Emergency Management will:
a. Request that Newnan Utilities activate the weather sirens in the event that the City of Newnan is included in the tornado warning by the National Weather Service.
It is understood that Newnan Utilities will:
a. At the request of Coweta County Emergency Management activate the weather sirens.
b. Activate the weather sirens at their discretion.
The outdoor weather warning sirens are intended to alert people that are outdoors to seek shelter due to hazardous weather conditions. While the sirens can sometimes be heard inside structures, the sound volume can be diminished by the distance, topography, and other variables. Televisions, weather radios or the use of the internet are also beneficial resources for severe weather notifications while inside a structure.
Monthly Testing:
Monthly testing of the sirens is performed at 11am on the first Wednesday of each month by Newnan Utilities. If a weather event is occurring during the normal test time, the tests are rescheduled for the following Wednesday at 11am.
Jim Chambers