City of New Braunfels to test outdoor warning system monthly

The city of New Braunfels will conduct monthly testing of its Outdoor Warning Siren System Aug. 5 at noon, according to a news release.

What you need to know

The city routinely tests its siren system monthly on the first Tuesday of each month at noon. Each siren can be heard at least a mile away, and four of the sirens are equipped with voice-announcement capabilities audible within half a mile, the release states.

In the instance of potential flooding, the sirens are manually enacted by fire, police and emergency management personnel based on river flow data and information from the National Weather Service. Aside from flooding, the siren system can be used for other emergencies like fires, tornadoes, hazardous material spills, etc, according to the release.

Some background

New Braunfels City Council approved the purchase of eight sirens in 2010. The sirens were installed in early 2011 and sit atop 40-foot galvanized poles along the Comal River, Guadalupe River and Dry Comal Creek. The sirens are placed to alert individuals in flood-prone areas or areas that may be affected by rising river levels, the news release states.

Before you go

Individuals can also register their mobile phones to receive emergency notifications from the city’s Emergency Notification System, also referred to as Reverse 911.