Siren coverage map

 About the System

Siren System Overview

The DeSoto Outdoor Warning Siren System is an electronic siren system which was specifically designed to provide comprehensive outdoor coverage with ten sirens strategically located throughout the city. The Outdoor Warning Siren System is intended to warn individuals who are outdoors to seek immediate shelter inside. The sirens may not be clearly heard indoors since more outdoor sounds, including warning sirens, cannot penetrate most buildings. 

Why are Sirens Activated?

The Outdoor Warning Siren System may be activated for the following conditions: 

• A tornado warning issued by the National Weather Service that affects the City or verified reports of a tornado
• Destructive winds over 70 mph
• Reports of hail 1.25 in diameter or larger
• Other emergencies as directed by appropriate officials.

What To Do If You Hear The Sirens 

If you hear the sirens, immediately go indoors and get more information on the threat and what you should do next. Do not call 911 to ask why the sirens are sounding; only call 911 if you have a true emergency. There is no "all-clear" signal for the sirens; if you hear the sirens activate again, treat it as a real emergency and continue to take sheltering actions.

The purpose of the sirens is to alert citizens who are outdoors that they need to take shelter indoors and seek further information on the situation once inside. That extra information can come from checking the news on the television, radio, or other sources such as Red Alert (the City’s emergency notification system).

If Sirens are Activated for a Tornado Warning, How Do I Shelter-In-Place?

If you hear the sirens activated and learn from the news or Red Alert that a Tornado Warning has been issued for DeSoto, immediately seek shelter inside and shelter-in-place. Below are guidelines on how to properly shelter-in-place: 

Shelter-In-Place Guidelines

• Seek shelter inside the nearest study structure. Never shelter in a car or mobile home, if avoidable. 
• Once inside, go to the first floor (or basement if one is available).
• Find the centermost room; this is one without a wall that touches the outdoors and one without windows (typically bathrooms, closets, or a hallway if that's all you have in the center of the structure).
• Get down and protect your head (use pillows, blankets, or jackets, if available).
• If you are sheltering in your home, bring your emergency kit with you to your shelter location.
• Continue to monitor the storm (ex. via mobile radar or news updates) and do not leave your shelter location until the threat has passed. 

Monthly Siren Test 

The City of DeSoto tests the outdoor warning sirens on the first Wednesday of every month at 2 p.m. We do not test sirens during bad weather; they are only tested during blue sky days. If you hear the sirens at that time during a blue-sky day, it is a test.