During an annual tornado siren test held on April 12, it was discovered that one of the five sirens in the Newcastle area had been extensively damaged by lightning, and the county’s new Homeland Security Director said that due to the increase in the potential for severe weather at this time of year, she will be testing the sirens more frequently to provide greater assurance that they will function properly if a severe weather event does strike.
“I will be conducting monthly checks of all five sirens within the area. I will be on site during all of the testing to see and hear that each one is working,” Homeland Security Director Denise Bradshaw told the News Letter Journal, indicating that she intends to prepare a schedule and make it available to the public so it doesn’t cause undue alarm when the sirens are sounded for the tests.