Tornado Warning System

Due to the turbulent weather that middle Tennessee has experienced during the past years, the City of Brentwood has developed a Tornado Warning System using warning sirens. These sirens are intended to alert residents to a possible tornado and encourage them to seek further weather information.

The Tornado Warning System has 19 siren locations throughout the city. Upon receiving a tornado warning for this area, the sirens will be activated.

Siren Locations  - Early Warning System Map

  • Deerwood Park
  • Granny White Park *
  • Maryland Farms (Municipal Center)
  • Wilson Pike at New Hope Church
  • Edmondson Elementary School
  • Kenrose Elementary School
  • Moores Lane at Westgate Commons
  • Wilson Pike (Fire Station Two)
  • Franklin Road and Jackson Lane
  • Crockett Park near the Playground *
  • Crockett Park near the Multi-purpose fields *
  • Concord Road and Waller Road
  • Murray Lane at Scales School
  • Sunset Road at Fire Station 4
  • Holly Tree Gap and North Berry's Chapel Road
  • Sunset Road and Copperstone Drive
  • South Timber Drive (Courtside at Southern Woods Amenity Area)
  • Tower Park *
  • Franklin Road and Moore's Lane
  • Ravenswood Park *

* These warning devices are equipped with lightning detection and play verbal messages warning of possible lightning strikes.

The sirens are meant to be outdoor warning devices. They can be heard from almost any outdoor location in Brentwood. However, they may not be heard indoors. While the placement of the sirens will improve the penetration, it is nearly impossible to compete with indoor noise like air conditioners, televisions and stereos.

An alert warning signal is a 3 to 5 minute steady siren. The warning signal is intended to alert residents to seek shelter and to seek additional information.

For your safety, the sirens are tested each month on the first Saturday at 1:00 p.m. In case of threatening weather, the test will be postponed until the next day.

The sirens are activated when there is a tornado reported by a credible source within a ten-mile radius of Brentwood. A warning indicates that a tornado has been sighted or is indicated on radar.

If the sirens are activated, TAKE SHELTER!

Tornado Plan

When a tornado is coming, you have only a short amount of time to make life-or-death decisions. Advance planning and quick responses are the keys to surviving a tornado. To keep loss of life and injuries at a minimum, everyone should have a tornado plan. Planning ahead will lower the chance of injury, or even death, in the event that a tornado strikes.

Before Emergency Occurs

  • Conduct tornado drills each tornado season.
  • Designate an area in the home as a shelter, and practice having everyone in the family go there in response to a tornado threat.
  • Discuss with family members the difference between a "tornado watch" and a "tornado warning."
  • Have disaster supplies on hand.
    • Flashlight and extra batteries
    • Portable, battery-operated radio and extra batteries
    • First aid kit and manual
    • Emergency food and water
    • Non-electric can opener
    • Essential medicines
    • Cash and credit cards
    • Sturdy shoes
  • Develop an emergency communication plan.
  • In case family members are separated from one another during a tornado (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), have a plan for getting back together.
  • Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the "family contact." After a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address, and phone number of the contact person.

During an Emergency

  • AT HOME: Go to the basement and seek a sturdy object, such as a workbench, to sit under. If there is no basement, a small room in the middle of the house (a closet or bathroom) is best. Always stay away form outside walls and windows.
  • AT WORK OR SCHOOL: Stay away from large open rooms like auditoriums and gymnasiums, and rooms with windows. Lie low with hands covering the back of your head to reduce neck injury.
  • IN A SHOPPING MALL: Go to a designated shelter area or to the center of the building on a low level. Stay away from large open rooms and windows. Never seek shelter in cars in the parking lot.
  • OUTDOORS: Lie in a ditch or low lying area or crouch near a strong building. Be aware of potential flooding. Use arms to protect head and neck.
  • IN A CAR: Get out of the car immediately and take shelter in a building or lie in a ditch or low-lying area away from the car.

Do you know the difference?

  • Tornado Watches and Warnings
    • A tornado watch is issued by the National Weather Service when tornadoes are possible in your area. Remain alert for approaching storms. This is time to remind family members where the safest places within your home are located, and listen to the radio or television for further developments.
    • A tornado warning is issued when a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar.
  • Tornado Danger Signs
    • An approaching cloud of debris can mark the location of a tornado even if a funnel is not visible.
    • Before a tornado hits, the wind may die down and the air may become very still.
    • Tornadoes generally occur near the trailing edge of a thunderstorm. It is not uncommon to see clear, sunlit skies behind a tornado.

 

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