City of Dallas Emergency Sirens

Don’t panic when you hear sirens blasting all over Dallas at noon tomorrow. That’s just the City of Dallas Office of Emergency Management (OEM) conducting their regular test for safety. On the first Wednesday of every month, OEM sets off the alarms so citizens will be ready if a real tornado or other emergency occurs.

Sign up for our newsletter!

* indicates required

The city operates 162 outdoor warning sirens all over Dallas, though they aren’t designed to be heard indoors. The sirens are intended to alert people working and playing outside to seek indoor shelter and tune in to local media for up-to-date instructions.

If you can’t make it inside and the sirens indicate an approaching tornado, OEM officials say, mobile homes and vehicles are unsafe shelters. It’s better to lie in a ditch or other low-lying area not prone to flooding and ride out the storm, they say, using your arms to protect your head and neck.

You may follow Dallas OEM’s great tips on Twitter here and Facebook here.