Jonesboro, AR – JonesboroRightNow.com – As Jonesboro’s population continues to grow, the city is looking to expand the coverage of its tornado sirens.
There are currently 33 tornado sirens in the city, with plans to add three more. Additionally, two existing sirens will be relocated to areas lacking coverage as the population increases. The move is part of the city’s wider Destination 100K, a plan to improve city infrastructure and resources as Jonesboro’s population nears 100,000.
“The city doesn’t stop growing,” said Travis Williams, radio technician for the Jonesboro Police Department. “Moving the two [sirens], that’s gonna help us fill in some gaps where we really don’t need to put a new siren right there, but if we just move them a bit, then that’s better.”
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Relocating sirens is less expensive than getting new ones, Williams said. He added that the three new sirens planned to be added are smaller, saving additional money.
The plan is to have the entire project completed by June or July.
In addition to relocating and adding new sirens, the radio systems used to activate the tornado sirens will be upgraded. Currently, portable radios are installed in each siren, but they will be replaced with mobile radios.
Williams explained that a portable radio, such as walkie talkies, has its antenna directly attached to it, while a mobile radio, commonly seen in police cars, has an external antenna. This allows mobile radios to have better coverage, something he said will provide both improved coverage and security for the sirens’ radio system.
This new system will be installed by the time the new siren installations and relocations are finished, or shortly afterward.
“It’ll be more secure, the coverage will be better,” Williams said. “We’re really just trying to make things better. We’re really doing a lot this year.”
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