Officer Chris Rankin

Public Information Officer

903-798-3187 (office) 903-260-0294 (pager)

903-824-4199 (cell) 903-798-3023 (fax)

Texarkana Arkansas Police Badge

Re: Civil Defense Siren Malfunction

On 11-10-06 at approximately 6:00am the Texarkana Office of Emergency Management experienced a citywide technical malfunction with the tornado warning sirens. At this time the problem has been isolated to a computer malfunction and is being corrected. This prompted numerous phone calls from local citizens to the Central Records and Communication Center through the 911 emergency lines.

In fact, so many calls poured in that dispatch was unable to call for technical service for the sirens due to the phone lines being saturated with calls. During this time legitimate calls for emergency service or medical emergencies continued to come in and were delayed due to the fact that each call had to be answered in the order it was received.

With this in mind, local police would like to remind citizens that the 911 emergency number is for police, fire, or medical emergency service only. In the event of bad weather conditions or the activation of tornado warning sirens please turn on local television and, or, radio stations for updated information from emergency management officials.

The local tornado warning sirens are used only in the event of a confirmed tornado approaching the city. Despite this, the sirens are subject to the same malfunctions that would otherwise affect other electrical devices such as traffic lights, telephones, or television service. Things such as lighting strikes, short circuits, or computer malfunctions can cause the tornado sirens to malfunction. The system is normally tested on Wednesdays at noon, if weather permits. If a malfunction occurs, Emergency Management Officials will take all possible steps to correct the problem as quickly as possible.

Anyone with questions pertaining to a non-emergency issue is advised to contact police and fire through the listed non-emergency numbers. Please remember that others may be waiting on service for a life threatening emergency.

Thank you and you can visit the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department online at http://www.txkusa.org/arkpolice.