New Philadelphia, Ohio (WJER) - Sirens will ring throughout the area this morning as Tuscarawas County joins in a statewide test of tornado warning systems. Tuscarawas County Sheriff Orvis Campbell says the sirens will go off numerous times starting at 9:50 am and continuing for about 25 minutes. He says the purpose is to make residents aware of the warning system and to make sure it works.

“In past years, we have found problems, and that’s when you do it as a test so that you can find them and remedy them before you need it for real,” he says.

Campbell says schools often use this as an opportunity to educate students about how to respond to a tornado warning. He says the sirens can also remind residents to be prepared.

“It’s one of those things that when people hear them, it really just likes sends a chilling vibe down their spine and the idea of a tornado coming through, and most people do pay attention and start thinking about what they’re going to do and which part of their household to go to, and that’s very useful,” he says. “You can’t wait until the emergency happens. You have to think about that stuff during the drill.”

The statewide siren test is part of Ohio Severe Weather Awareness Week, which is going on now.

WJER RADIO