By David Fleet

Editor

Atlas Twp.

-The township board of trustees are expected to discuss the installation of two additional warning sirens.

Earlier this month David Stamm, Genesee County Emergency Manager announced the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved a Genesee County Warning Siren Project that will provide $378,725 in funding. The township will receive about $30,000 toward the siren which will require about $11,000 in matching funds.

Tere Onica, township supervisor, said the sirens are expected to be installed near M-15 and Perry Road in addition to near the intersection of Baldwin and Gale roads.

The comprehensive township siren project began in November 2013 when Jeffrey DuPilka, president of Allendale-based West Shore Services, reviewed the outdoor warning coverage area. The company is the largest distributor of warning equipment in Michigan. The report from West Shore designated eight priority locations for areas to be covered with warning sirens.

Once installed, the township will utilize five emergency sirens including the original siren on Hegel Road near the Goodrich Country Club which covers the village, golf course and the Goodrich schools campuses. The second siren was installed in 2014 and is located near Ridge and Lakeshore roads. A grant from the Genesee County Emergency Management and Homeland Security of $19,000 was awarded in 2015 to the township and used to purchase a third tornado siren located near Irish and Jordan roads on the west side.

“We have to remember these emergency sirens are not just for tornados, they can provide notification for civil defense warnings as well,” said Stamm. “The $11,000 is a small price to keep residents out of harm’s way. I am being advised that some of the delay from the FEMA were the weather-related issues that occurred including Hurricane Matthew. The county will be working on the bid specifications and should have that published sometime in December.”

The 36-square miles of Groveland Township in Oakland County are covered by nine sirens. To the east in Brandon Township, 12 tornado serins plus two fire stations alert residents of pending storms. In Genesee County, Davison Township has one siren.