San Marcos' outdoor warning sirens nearly operational

The City of San Marcos said its 14 outdoor warning sirens would be fully operational beginning Aug. 1.

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — The City of San Marcos said its 14 outdoor warning sirens would be fully operational beginning Aug. 1.

The city said the sirens were intended to alert the community of a threat, which included severe weather or a hazardous incident.

Once the Outdoor Warning System is operational, it should be able to emit three tone patterns, including:

• Tornado warning: Single pitch that is a long and steady tone and last for three minutes
• Wild land fire: Alternates between high and low tones lasting for three minutes
• Public safety threat: Wave-like pitch that will change in tone every 16 seconds for a total of three minutes

“Once the sirens sound, individuals who are outside are urged to seek shelter,” the city said.

According to the city, the system was first installed in 2011, but the sirens required maintenance and upgrades that took several months to complete.

“The outdoor warning sirens are an important public safety tool,” said Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator Reese Martin. “The San Marcos community has experienced severe flooding and other emergencies. Seconds count in an emergency, and the upgrades to this system will allow us to ensure everyone is notified as soon as possible.”