By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
The 28 Community Outdoors Warning Sirens — COWS — spread across Barren County failed to activate during the brief time when a tornado warning was active on April 2 and April 3.
The failure was caused by “an unknown radio frequency” that interfered with the activation signal when it was sent from a console in the Barren-Metcalfe Emergency Communication Center, the emergency management states.
“This radio frequency is being investigated and we are in the process of reprogramming radios at siren sites,” the severe weather notification letter states.
Due to this possibility of malfunction, Emergency Management Director Garland Gilliam recommended people have an additional way to stay informed, like a weather radio or Barren County’s mass notification app.
“COWS were put in place to provide warnings to residents outdoors that may not have heard a warning otherwise,” the letter states. “It is imperative that residents have multiple methods of receiving alerts and do not rely on outdoor sirens when indoors.”
