City of Sedalia Considers Purchasing New Tornado Warning Siren

On Monday night, the Sedalia City Council considered a proposal to add one tornado warning siren to the City's current arsenal of 15, and relocate three others.

Bruce Fisher, sales consultant with Blue Valley Public Safety, Inc., (Grain Valley) presented the proposal to Council members.

The need for more siren coverage is due to Sedalia's growth and ever-expanding city limits, it was explained.

The cost of a new siren installed is $21,533.80, and moving three sirens will cost $7,200, for a total outlay of cash of $28,733.80. The new siren would be purchased from Federal Signal Safety and Security Systems, University Park, Ill.

The location of the new siren will be in the area of Oak Grove Lane, north of Menard's.

Fisher noted that it will take 6 to 8 weeks before the new siren arrives and about a week to 10 days to install it. All sirens sit atop a Class 2 pole, 45 feet in the air, he added.

One of the proposed moves include a siren near Engineer and Boonville. Moving it about one or two blocks north, across from Crown Hill Cemetery, will allow the siren to be about 45 feet higher in the sky due to the elevated terrain, Fisher explained.

Tornado season officially starts March 1, City Administrator Kelvin Shaw noted.

A budget amendment will be presented to Council at its next meeting.