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The Dewey City Council approves agreements to improve its storm siren systems.

City Manager Kevin Trease says Washington County has applied for a grant to upgrade storm sirens in area communities. Trease says there will be new controllers for each individual siren. He says there will even be a controller at the fire station.

Trease says Washington County Emergency Management would be able to set off Dewey's alert system remotely if Dewey Fire is out to an emergency scene. He says the National Weather Service would also be able to set off the alarm if they pinpoint a nearby tornado during a storm.

The other benefit of the upgraded system is that it would allow for tests to be conducted without people being on site to test it. Trease says the test would be conducted monthly. He says the system will tell them whether or not the siren is working.

People have to be on site when testing all seven sirens as it stands right now. Trease says the cost for the system is roughly $56,000. He says a local manufacturing company is paying every communities 25-percent matching fee, so they will have to pay nothing for the upgraded system.

A timeline when the project will be done is uncertain at this time. Trease says Washington County Emergency Management is working to complete memorandums of understanding regarding the emergency alert system activation before they can move forward with the grant application.

The Washington County Commissioners approved WCEM's application request to pursue this project in August. To read that story, click here.