Metro Government will install a new emergency siren in Louisville’s East End, and upgrade three others with federal grant money.Louisville’s Emergency Management Agency uses the city’s network of 124 sirens to warn residents of everything from extreme weather to industrial accidents. But because they’re frequently used during tornado warnings, they’re often called ‘tornado sirens.’Mayor’s spokesman Chris Poynter says the city decided a siren was necessary on the University of Louisville’s Shelby Campus, which is near Hurstbourne Parkway and Shelbyville Road.“It’s a very densely populated section of the city, lots of neighborhoods, hotels, high-rise complexes, some shopping centers,” he said. “And as the growth occurs out there, we looked at the data and determined that’s where we needed a new siren.”Three older sirens in the same area will also be replaced. Poynter says Metro Government is still encouraging residents to sign up for the city’s Code Red system, which sends location-specific emergency alerts directly to home and cell phones. Click here for more information on Code Red.
