OUTDOOR WARNING SIREN TESTING TO RESUME IN APRIL

The Beltrami County Sheriff's Office Division of Emergency Management would like to inform citizens that routine outdoor warning siren testing in Beltrami County will resume in April. Outdoor warning sirens are sounded April through October on the first Wednesday of the month at approximately 1:00PM. Sirens will sound for several minutes. Testing the sirens on a routine basis allows for identifying any issues and making repairs before they are needed in an emergency.

Additional information on when sirens are used in weather related emergencies will be addressed during Severe Weather Awareness Week which is being held in Minnesota the week of April 21st-25th, 2014.

The Beltrami County Sheriff's Office Division of Emergency Management will be offering Skywarn Training (Severe Weather Spotters) in April. Two classes are scheduled to be held at the Law Enforcement Center's Emergency Operation Center located at 613 Minnesota Ave NW in downtown Bemidji. Classes are scheduled for Thursday, April 10th at 6:00PM and Saturday, April 12th at 3:00PM. Classes last approximately two and a half hours. Those interested in attending only need to attend one session. There are no prerequisites to attend the class and the classes are free. Participants will be given the National Weather Service's Weather Spotter's Field Guide and trained on the detection of severe weather and how to appropriately respond to and report severe weather through a multimedia presentation.

If you have any questions, please contact Beltrami County's Director of Emergency Management, Christopher Muller at chris.muller@co.beltrami.mn.us or ph.218-333-8386.

-Christopher Muller

Director of Emergency Management

Beltrami County Sheriff's Office