Software Malfunction Cause Of Siren Issues

The Wednesday storms prompted the National Weather Service to issue a tornado warning for a large portion of Fond du Lac County. However, the software used by Fond du Lac County to activate the sirens did not work as intended.

Bobbi Hicken, Director, Fond du Lac County Communications & Emergency Management, said in a press release issued late Friday, a software issue was the cause.

Hicken says the City of Fond du Lac utilizes the same software the County uses and the sirens in the City did not activate either. Hicken said for the time being, sirens activated by Fond du Lac County, including those in the City of Fond du Lac, will be activated manually for tornado warnings issued anywhere in Fond du Lac County.

Hicken also added that outdoor warning sirens are not intended to be heard inside homes and buildings and do not cover all areas of the county, and should not be relied upon as a primary source of information.