Warning Sirens and System Testing

The Outdoor Warning System consists of eight warning sirens within the Sachse city limits. These sirens are activated primarily due to storms however, other situations include but may not be limited to:

• natural emergencies
• transportation accidents involving hazardous materials
• emergencies at fixed facilities
• acts of terrorism
• other catastrophic events in which the community needs to be informed immediately

System Tests

The system is tested the first Wednesday* of each month. Each audible test  includes approximately 30 seconds of audible siren sound.
*In case of inclement weather, the siren test will be cancelled.

Warning System Activation Guidelines

The warning system will be activated when:

• National Weather Service (NWS) issues a Tornado Warning or Severe Thunderstorm Warning with the phrase "destructive winds in excess of 70+ mph are likely with this storm" for Sachse.
• NWS or trained storm spotters have reported a tornado with the potential to affect Sachse.
• Hail of 1.25 inches in diameter is imminent.
• Deemed necessary by Sachse officials (i.e. in the event of any emergency when officials need to get citizens to move indoors for their safety).

Citizen Actions

If you hear the sirens when a test is not scheduled:

• Seek shelter indoors and turn on local media (local broadcast channels and/or radio).
• Follow directions from officials including information provided by the NWS.
• ONLY call 911 in case of an actual emergency or when no information is available regarding the emergency.

Additional Information

• You may not be able to hear the sirens indoors or during an actual event due to high winds and weather conditions.
• Obtain a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio with Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) technology to provide dependable indoor warning information to your family.
• NOAA Weather Radio offers a nationwide network of radio stations that broadcasts continuous weather information directly from the National Weather Service Office, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Locate the nearest warning siren to your home.