Currently, the city is working with a local vendor to repair the radio receivers of four outdoor warning sirens in the Bismarck area including sirens #1, 4, 6, and 17. A siren location map of the 24 Bismarck area outdoor warning sirens is available and can be viewed at: https://www.bismarcknd.gov/1030/Sirens
Bismarck city staff routinely monitors select outdoor warning sirens each month during the outdoor warning siren test. The sirens are visually monitored to ensure they sound and rotate, and maintenance is conducted on the outdoor warning sirens as needed.
The most common use of the outdoor warning sirens is to sound them when a tornado warning is in effect for the Bismarck area. However, the sirens can be sounded to alert those who are outdoors of ANY impending or occurring emergency. When the sirens sound, your response should always be the same: get indoors, seek shelter, and tune in to local media and your NOAA weather radio (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) for additional information about the event.
Although you may hear the siren tone indoors in some situations, depending on proximity and other factors, it’s important to know that outdoor warning sirens are NOT intended or guaranteed to be heard indoors. As a first step in emergency disaster preparedness, be sure you have the capability to receive alerts and warnings provided by the National Weather Service and local media. A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio ensures that you have the ability to receive alerts in a timely manner. If you don’t already have one, consider getting a NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio. These can be programmed to receive ONLY the alerts you want and ONLY for the areas of concern to you. To learn more about the NOAA All Hazards Weather radio, visit https://www.bismarcknd.gov/1034/Weather-Radio---All-Hazards
The outdoor warning siren test occurs the last Friday of each month at 9:30 a.m.
For more information about emergency preparedness visit https://www.bismarcknd.gov/495/Emergency-Management