Johnson siren warning rules get update

IOWA CITY - The death of a Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School teacher last May has led to a change in Johnson County's outdoor warning siren policy.

The county now activates the system during a storm capable of producing 70-mph winds or if there is a threat for golf-ball-sized hail.

“That was kind of the line in the sand,” said Dave Wilson, coordinator of the county's Emergency Management Agency.

Chemistry teacher Jennifer Lewis, 32, was alone in a tent at Lake Macbride State Park when a tree blew over and killed her last Memorial Day weekend. No sirens had been sounded because at the time the county only activated the system during tornado warnings.

But 70-mph winds can still “drop entire trees, severely damage structures and cause a huge risk to outdoor citizenry,” Wilson said.

On Saturday the county activated the sirens for the first time under the new policy, which led to a rush of 911 calls for Johnson County dispatchers, Wilson said. Residents are asked not to call 911 for information when the sirens are going off, because those lines need to be kept open for actual emergency calls.

County officials also want the public to be aware that the system is designed as an outdoor warning system and is not meant to be heard indoors. Once it's activated, residents are advised to seek shelter and turn to local media or a weather radio.