Improvements to the City of Broken Arrow’s Outdoor Warning Siren System are coming soon with the City Council’s approval to purchase 21 Whelan WPS2910 10-cell sirens with 360-degree sound coverage. This new technology can be heard simultaneously in any direction at 4,000 watts and boasts a 6,100-foot estimated range of sound with a solar-powered recharging system that is beneficial when electricity is not available.
Funding for the siren system will come from two sources. Broken Arrow received a $387,734.13 Hazard Mitigation Performance Grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
"I can't underscore how big that is to get that kind of money from the federal government," City Manager Michael Spurgeon said. "With these sirens, the distance is further, and you can hear it from all directions, this is state-of-the-art technology."
The balance of the project’s cost, totaling $513,774.42, will be paid for from the voter approved 2018 General Obligation Bond which included upgrades to the outdoor warning siren system. On Oct. 18, the City Council awarded the project to SafetyCom, Inc., with the lowest responsible bid at $901,508.55.
“Receiving this grant is a great opportunity to improve our system and it was made possible through our community partners coming together and supporting our local hazard mitigation planning efforts,” Broken Arrow Director of Emergency Management Jamie Ott said.
The Council also approved a state and local agreement as a condition to receiving the federal funds. The grant requires the City of Broken Arrow to complete the installation of 10 of the new sirens by Sept. 28, 2023. The addresses for those installations are as follows:
