Le Mars Fire Chief Wayne Schipper announced recently that the city will discontinue monthly siren tests through the winter months.

(Advertisement)

Siren testing, usually held on the first Monday of the month.

The siren testing will resume again in April, said Schipper, who is also the chief of operations for disaster services in Le Mars.

In between that time, testing may be done on the sirens to ensure they are working properly.

There are six sirens located throughout Le Mars.

*One by the golf course across from the National Guard armory

*One by the Presbyterian United Church of Christ on Seventh Avenue Southeast

*One near 24th Street and county road K-49

*One near the Highway 75 bypass between Lamperts and the Wells' Dairy corporate office

*One south of the Hy-Vee grocery store

*And one by Highway 3 a block west of Sixth Avenue

"We had to relocate the sirens a little bit because of the subdivisions put in last few years," Schipper explained.

People who were used to hearing the sirens in their homes may not be able to anymore. These sirens are meant to alert people who are outdoors, Schipper explained.

"What we have now are only for outside use, because that's what the government was funding," he said.

He's hoping the city can add another siren centrally located in Le Mars.

"There's no funding available right now," Schipper said. When it does come available we'll request another one, and I'd like to see two."

The sirens are set to go off if severe weather like a tornado or storm with high winds threatens Le Mars.

"We could also use them also for attacks of some sort," Schipper said.

The sirens can be activated from the Plymouth County Communication Center at the Law Enforcement Center, or remotely from the different emergency response headquarters like the fire station, Schipper said.