Frequently Asked Questions

No. The sirens are Early Warning Sirens. Their purpose is to inform the public as early as possible about potentially dangerous weather conditions in our area.

The Early Warning Sirens will be activated when the National Weather Service (NWS) issues a warning for an area that includes any part of the city limits of Marshall. Sirens are usually only activated for tornado warnings. For clarification, listed below are the NWS definition of warnings, watches, and advisories.

Watch Versus Warning Versus Advisory

The following are the National Weather Service definitions for watch, warning, and advisory. 

• Advisory: Issued for less serious conditions that cause significant inconvenience and, if caution is not exercised, could lead to situations that may threaten life and/or property.
• Warning: Issued when hazardous weather or hydrologic event is occurring, is imminent, or has a very high probability of occurrence. A warning is used for conditions posing a threat to life or property. The NWS is the single "official" voice when issuing warnings for life-threatening situations.
• Watch: Issued when the risk of hazardous weather or hydrologic event has increased significantly, but its occurrence, location, and/or timing is still uncertain. It is intended to provide enough lead time so those who need to set their plans in motion can do so. Watches evolve into warnings, advisories, or they are canceled.

More information can be found on Weather.Gov.

Monitor local TV, radio, weather radio, or the internet to obtain accurate weather information in order to make an informed safety decision.

The Early Warning Sirens are activated from the Police/Fire/911 Dispatch Center. The dispatchers are instructed when to activate the sirens by the Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Marshall. The Emergency Management Coordinator also has the ability to activate the sirens remotely.

There are seven sirens at the following locations:

• East End Boulevard N at the Marshall Police Department
• At the end of Carters Ferry Road
• I-20 behind I-HOP
• Key Street at Martin Street
• Oak Lawn Golf Course on Victory Drive
• Washington Early Childhood on Evans Street
• William B. Travis Elementary School on Carolanne Street

No. Because the sirens make only one sound, you will not hear an all-clear tone or sound. It is strongly recommended that you continue to monitor local radio, television, weather radio, or the internet until you have determined weather conditions to be safe.