Malfunctioning siren serves as reminder of what to do in emergency situation

Emergency management workers said they're trying to figure out why an outdoor warning siren sounded on its own Friday night.

The siren didn't sound a horn, but instead a verbal warning about an emergency at the Duane Arnold Energy Center in Palo – Iowa's only nuclear power plant.

Plant officials said everything was and is operating normally.

However, the scare brought up a good question, “What should you do if it were real?”  That's a question many Iowa communities never have to wonder.  But, Cedar Rapids and the immediately surrounding communities are forced to contemplate that because they are so close to the nuclear power plant.

Chet Casali, 82, Cedar Rapids, didn't know what he would do,  “I wouldn't have any idea.  Close the windows and doors and hope nothing leaks in, I guess.”

Emergency management officials regularly train how to respond to an emergency at the plant.  Mike Goldberg with the Linn County Emergency Management Agency said his agency just had a test last May.

Despite all the preparation, officials are only half the equation.

The malfunctioning siren is located at Wright Elementary School, 1524 Hollywood Boulevard Northeast, Cedar Rapids.  We asked a few families living in the neighboring blocks what they should do if a true nuclear emergency happened.  Most families we found had no idea what to do.

Deb Himes, however, might be a good neighbor to have, she knew exactly what to do.

“What I would do is get my phone book,” said Himes, 39, Cedar Rapids.

The phone books around here are special and have all the information from phone numbers to evacuation locations in the front.  The locations are Marshalltown, Iowa City, Independence and Eldridge – each one is assigned to a different set of neighborhoods.

As much as everyone wishes that siren wouldn't have malfunctioned, it is a reminder.  Those warning sirens are there to alert us to everything from tornadoes to nuclear explosions.

Goldberg said complacency is always a concern, “The key is go inside, seek shelter and find out what's going on.”

Goldberg said if you can't find a phone book, the disaster plan is listed on the

Linn County Emergency Management Agency's website.