When are tornado sirens triggered in Shawnee County?

SHAWNEE COUNTY (KSNT) - Shawnee County Emergency Management (SNCO EM) gave an update on its Outdoor Warning System (OWS) policy this week.

SNCO EM reported on April 24 that when a tornado watch is issued, it moves into an increased 'Situational Awareness' posture. SNCO EM teams start by emailing partners and making notifications through social media. More team members are activated as risks increase.

Once a warning is issued through the National Weather Service (NWS) or a trusted agent, the sirens in the warned area, using a specific location, will be activated. Once activated, the system will run for two to three minutes and then break. The system will be reactivated and the process is repeated until the warning expires or is cancelled.

The Shawnee County Consolidated Emergency Communication Center can work as a backup to activate the OWS. The SNCO EM says the ability to activate the OWS for a specific area may not be possible, resulting in an all-county activation.

"The previous policy of an all-county activation is not desired however, the objective of this policy is to warn people in the event of a life-threatening situation in order to preserve life and prevent human suffering."

SNCO EM policy guide excerpt

A tornado watch means the conditions in our atmosphere are favorable for severe weather and you still have time to prepare. But as soon as a tornado warning is issued, it’s time to take cover inside of a sturdy structure because severe weather is immediate or actively occurring. In the case of a tornado, that means that either rotation has been indicated on radar or a trained spotter has seen a tornado.

Just after 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23, the NWS issued tornado warnings for multiple northeast Kansas counties. Tornado warnings were issued in Jefferson, Shawnee and Jackson counties.

"This thing popped up so fast and it just said tornado warning Shawnee County, we weren't clear where it was so we sounded all county sirens, then once we figured out where it was we shut those all down and just sounded those sirens in that warned area up north," said Shawnee County Emergency Director Dusty Nichols.

The next policy review date will be on March 1, 2026.

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