Residents concerned after Greenbush says it won’t repair its tornado siren

GREENBUSH — The town of Greenbush in Sheboygan County will no longer hear its weekly tornado siren tests because the faulty system will not be repaired.

Resident Karen Bower moved to Greenbush for the peace and quiet, but she felt comforted by the sound of the siren at midday Wednesday, an extra safety net in her mind.

Before I knocked on her door, she didn’t know it wouldn’t be fixed.

Mikenzie Hammel, TMJ4

“I’m very upset. I think it’s very important to have a tornado warning,” Bower said.

In October, the city council initially approved a request to repair the sirens at a cost of about $4,300.

At the next meeting, the quote jumped to almost $10,000. Chairman John Halbach said he could not justify the cost.

“We will put this money to good use elsewhere,” like a new fire truck, he suggested.

Mikenzie Hammel, TMJ4

Halbach suggested residents follow alerts on smartphones rather than sirens.

“They’re probably going to retire anyway because of the coming technology.”

Watch: Greenbush won’t fix its tornado siren, residents express concern

Greenbush won’t repair its tornado siren, residents express concern

“I’m 70 years old,” Bower noted. “I don’t do all this phone and computer stuff.”

His neighbor Charlene Becker, 72, has lived in Greenbush for more than four decades.

She also doesn’t consider herself tech savvy.

Mikenzie Hammel, TMJ4

“I was counting on (the siren),” Becker said. “As taxpayers, we should have something like this in town.”

So, is stopping sirens legal?

I contacted Wisconsin Emergency Management for a response.

The public information officer told me that maintaining and sounding the sirens is not required by law. It depends on each city and municipality.

I also called a few other cities and towns in Sheboygan County.

These conversations revealed that Elkhart Lake, Howards Grove, Glenbeulah and Oostburg have at least one working siren or have replaced their sirens in recent years.

Halbach says the Greenbush siren could only be heard in about a quarter of the city.

It is important to note that sirens are intended to warn those outside, not those already in their home.

Bower still feels uncomfortable without one.

“Maybe I’ll sell my house, go somewhere else where they’ll notify you anyway,” she said.

Halbach encourages anyone to contact the board for more questions and solutions.

“When something is really needed, he always seems to find a way to take care of it,” Becker said.

Wisconsin Emergency Management says it’s important to have several options to deal with severe weather:

• Enable wireless emergency alerts on your phone
• Turn on the NOAA Weather Radio
• Inform your family and friends.

You can also follow the NBC 26 Weather Team on-air, online or on social media.