Dacula City Council to Vote on Tornado Siren Repair

Next week, the Dacula City Council will decide whether to move forward with repairs to the city’s aging tornado warning siren.

Council members discussed several options during the May 26 work session including repairs, replacement and promoting the use of weather radios.

Repairs to the existing Whelan system are expected to cost approximately $6,100. According to city administrator Jim Osborn, the repairs would take one day and would be handled by the nearest authorized service repair company which is based in Anniston, Ala.

Osborn said it would cost $15,000 to fully modernize and replace the system. The cost for both the repairs or replacement would be taken from reserve funds.

Though the city can apply for a grant from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) to help finance the cost of a new system, Osborn said it was unlikely the city would be awarded the funds.

“These things are usually statewide competitive. Gwinnett County is at an inherent disadvantage because we make so much money over here relative to other more rural parts of the state,” Osborn said.

According to Osborn, a GEMA representative advised that the city might fare better by seeking a grant for the purchase of weather radios. The radios could then be distributed to those who wanted or needed them.

“People are more apt to listen and tune in to their radio than hear a siren with all their doors closed,” Osborn said.

said during the course of his research into what GEMA grants might be available, he learned tornado sirens were primarily designed for people who are outdoors.

“It’s not necessarily for people inside their homes,” Cline said.

said he is a proponent of weather radios, but agreed with who suggested it might be better to repair the system now and budget for weather radios at a later date.  

“I think this is something that we really need to think about and talk about and see what’s going to be best for our folks,” Wilbanks said.

The council will meet next Thursday, June 2 at 7 p.m. to consider what action to take.