The Siren Board

Why do so many communities choose the first Wednesday of the month at noon to test their sirens? Did one place do it and the rest just kind of jumped on the bandwagon? Or is there like, an actual reason?

Don't think there's a reason other than convenience for the EMA. Maybe it's because tourism happens in that area and they don't want to scare tourists by doing it on the weekend.

It's a consistent date. If I was to hear a siren and know it was the 1st Wednesday of the month, I wouldn't be freaked-out.

As an addon, not ALL communities will always have their siren tests on the 1st Wednesday of the month. I've seen communities elsewhere do last Friday of the month (UMCD, OR) and 3rd Wednesday of the month (North Anna NGS, VA).

Quite a few places also test on Mondays instead of Wednesday.

In Germany usually it's the first Saturday of the month. That schedule is very popular and many people know it. So why not? As long people get used to it and are aware of that, I don't see a problem. Same thing would occur if it was the first Wednesday or something like that as long as it is being communicated to the people regularly.

I know that Champaign, IL has its sirens tested nearly every first Tuesday of the month at 10 AM. In Aberdeen, SD, during most Wednesdays during the year, sometime around 6 PM the sirens get tested. We mostly have 2001 SRN-Bs and some form of an EOWS. I've heard the EOWSs running Hi-Lo and pulsed wail.

If I have to guess anything it would be because one town started and the other towns do the same like a chain reaction and everyone got so used to when the siren tests so they keep the schedule though not all towns do Wednesday of the month like Osage County doing there test at Mondays at noon or Some towns do noon blast.

Hope what I am saying makes sense.