Crews install a new outdoor warning siren at Humboldt's Village Hall. It became operational in March 2023, just in time for Severe Weather Preparedness Week.
COLES COUNTY, Ill. (WTHI) - Emergency officials in Coles County have a couple new tools to alert residents of natural disasters and civil emergencies.
The Coles County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) announced the communities of Cooks Mills and Humboldt now have operational outdoor warning sirens.
EMA Director Jim Hilgenberg told News 10 the sirens were purchased with money the county received from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Hilgenberg said any future maintenance costs will be the responsibility of the Cooks Mills Fire Department and Village of Humboldt.
The two new sirens join a network of sirens already activated by the EMA office across Ashmore, Charleston, Lerna, Mattoon and Oakland.
For severe weather, Coles County EMA intends to sound the sirens if the office is informed of a tornado, radar-indicated rotation, or sustained winds of 70+ mph by the National Weather Service or trained spotters.
The EMA office has the ability to activate the sirens town-by-town so only people in the storm's path are alerted during threatening weather.
The new outdoor warning siren beside the Cooks Mills Fire Department in northwestern Coles County.
