CAMPBELL COUNTY WARNING SYSTEMS

Campbell County now has several different components to notify citizens of emergency or disaster situations.

NOAA Weather Radios

The fastest, most accurate and reliable means of receiving severe weather information is through a NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Weather Radio with a “tone alert” feature and battery backup. Weather radios may be purchased at local electronics stores.

NOAA Weather Radio is operated directly from the National Weather Service office in Wilmington, Ohio which provides coverage for Campbell County. The weather radio “tone alert” is activated when weather watches and warnings are issued. Newer models are capable of warning you only if severe weather is expected to reach Campbell County. This feature is called Specific Area Message Encoding (S.A.M.E.). Ask your local electronics retailer for help programming your weather radio before you leave the store.

EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM

Campbell County also participates in the Emergency Alert System (EAS). EAS consists of a digital encoder/decoder that allows the National Weather Service (NWS) or other federal; state or local government agency to create emergency messages for immediate dissemination to commercial radio and television stations and cable TV providers. The EAS message is generated by a digital encoder and then decoded by a similar unit at each participating broadcast station. When an EAS message is generated by the NWS or a governmental agency, that information is transmitted to a primary dissemination station which in turn relays the information to all other participating commercial and cable broadcasting stations. The primary EAS station in the Greater Cincinnati Area is WLW-AM Radio.

EAS provides for quick, efficient and widespread notification capability for the NWS and local governmental agencies.

CABLE OVERRIDE SYSTEM

Campbell County with the cooperation of Insight Cable operates a system that can be used to notify our citizens of an extreme emergency by taking over the cable system so that an emergency broadcast can be made.


THE NEWEST PART OF THE SYSTEM

OUTDOOR ALERTING SIRENS

Campbell County has a network of twenty (20) outdoor alerting sirens strategically located in densely populated areas and outdoor activity areas such as parks and the county golf course. These outdoor warning sirens are controlled from the Campbell County Dispatch Center.
The sirens are intended to alert persons involved in outdoor activities that severe weather is approaching.

Persons hearing the outdoor alerting siren should seek shelter and obtain additional information from commercial radio or television or from NOAA Weather Radio.

They should not call 911. They may cause an overload of the 911 system and people having true emergencies will not be able to get through to the 911 center.

To receive severe weather warnings when indoors we recommend a NOAA Weather Radio with “tone alert” feature and battery backup.

When will the Alerting System be used?

1. Tornado Warning

2. Severe Thunderstorm Warning while under a Tornado Watch

3. A Tornado is spotted by a Storm Spotter or Public Safety Officer

4. A single or group of sirens can be set off at the request of a Fire Chief or by Emergency Management for a Chemical Emergency.


TESTING OF THE OUTDOOR ALERTING SYSTEM

The system does a self check on it's self each day any will alert the County Dispatch Center if the system encounter a problem or if anyone tries to tamper with the system.

The system will have a full test conducted on it during Kentucky Severe Weather Preparedness Month (March). It will be sounded for three (3) minutes on a steady tone the same time and tone that would be used in the case of an Alert.

The system may be tested at other times, but this testing would be of a shorter duration less that 30 seconds at a time. This testing would be for maintenance purposes only.
Where are the sirens in Campbell County?

1. 2nd and Columbia St. Newport 200 Block of Columbia

2. RT 8 @ I-471 Newport - Rt 8 @I471 on on Ramp S/W Corner

3. Veterans Park Newport - End of Caroline St.

4. Dayton FD, 514 Sixth Street Dayton

5. St. Catherine Church 1083 N. Ft. Thomas Ave. Ft. Thomas

6. Ruth Moyer School 219 Highland Ave. Ft. Thomas

7. Woodfield School 1025 Alexandria Pk. Ft. Thomas

8. Wilder City Building 520 Licking Pk. Wilder

9. Johns Hill Road at Observatory, Wilder

10. Highland Heights FD 116 Renshaw Rd. Highland Heights

11. Central Campbell FD 4113 Alexandria Pike Cold Spring

12. US 27 @ East Alex. Pk. 7201 Alexandria Pk. Alexandria

13. Campbell County Courthouse 19 East Main Street Alexandria

14. Campbell County High School 25 W. Lickert Road Claryville

15. A.J. Jolly Park Golf Course on Hillside - Campbell Co.

16. Silver Grove FS CCFD #1 101 Four Mile Road Silver Grove

17. Pendrey Park Route 8, Melbourne

18. Eastern Campbell FS CCFD #1 45 Smith Road Mentor

19. Shadow Lake - End of Lake Watch Court Cold Spring

20. AA Highway & Stephen Ln. Wilder