Letter: Alter siren alerts for bad weather
Kathleen Rittel writes that siren alerts should be used to warn Long Islanders of sever weather. Credit: AP
On Long Island, siren alerts call our volunteer firefighters to duty. However, the increasing frequency of severe and dangerous weather demands that officials institute a specific-sounding alert, different from fire signals, to warn of impending dangerous weather ["Tornado strikes LI," News, Aug. 11].
More and more, we are warned of the possibility of tornadoes and derechos, or deadly windstorms. Perhaps a siren blast for a full minute would be a good warning for approaching, dangerous weather.
Most Long Islanders are conditioned to the sound of repeated, short siren alerts as fire signals. An extended siren could warn citizens to take cover.
Kathleen Rittel, Williston Park
