By Cindy Schroeder
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Sirens will sound throughout Northern Kentucky just after 10 this morning as part of a statewide drill for Severe Storms Preparedness Month.

"This is that time of year when severe weather hits," said Ed Burk, director of Kenton County Homeland Security and Emergency Management. "Just make sure that you have a plan of where you're going to go at your home or school or business."

Because sirens are intended as an outdoor warning system, Northern Kentucky residents should also keep a battery-powered National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio or listen to a battery-powered portable radio, local emergency management directors said.

In Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties, emergency warning sirens will emit a steady tone for three minutes at 10:07 a.m. The sirens are sounded for a tornado warning, severe thunderstorm warnings issued during a tornado watch, or a funnel cloud sighting by public safety personnel or trained weather spotters. A tornado warning refers to an actual sighting, while a watch means conditions are favorable for a tornado.

"We use the same criteria (for sounding the storm sirens) because it's too confusing otherwise," said Dan Maher, director of Boone County Emergency Management. "So many people travel through all three counties on a regular basis, whether to home or work or school."

This year, the counties are again offering weather spotter classes taught by the National Weather Service. About 60 people attended Boone County's class last month, and classes are scheduled for Campbell County on March 18 and Kenton County on March 31.

Participants will be trained to recognize severe weather conditions. They'll receive a code number to use when calling the National Weather Service to report conditions such as a tornado, funnel cloud, or hail of a particular size, Burk said.

"We've been doing the class for about 12 years and over the last four to five years, we've gotten more interest in weather spotter training," Maher said. "The two-hour class gives people the chance to get involved in their community with a minimal time contribution."

This will be the first spring that Campbell County's had five voice-activated outdoor warning sirens that can sound a pre-recorded message or other verbal warning in case of severe weather or other emergency, such as a chemical spill.

Two sirens are at Newport on the Levee on the Ohio riverfront; Veterans Park in Newport and A.J. Jolly and Pendery Park in southern Campbell County each have one, said Ken Knipper, director of the Campbell County Office of Emergency Management.

Campbell County officials also should know by summer whether they're successful in getting a $24,000 federal grant for a 20th outdoor warning siren, Knipper said. This siren would be near the Town and Country Sports complex near Interstate 275 and the AA Highway in Wilder.

Weather spotter training

Campbell County

• Where: Campbell County Fire Training Center behind the Kroger's on Martha Layne Collins Boulevard in Highland Heights

• When: 7:30 p.m. March 18

• Information: John Griswold at (859) 635-1111.

Kenton County

• Where: Crescent Springs Fire Department

• When: 7:30 p.m. March 31

• Information: Call (859) 392-1488 to register.

Boone County

Held training last month.

---

E-mail cschroeder@enquirer.com