WELTON, Iowa — Clinton County is holding a series of public meetings to discuss a potential future without emergency sirens.
On Wednesday, Clinton County Emergency Management officials explained their unanimous vote to discontinue the use of outdoor sirens. However, many residents, like DeWitt resident Sean Carver, are worried about the impact this decision could have on public safety.
"I feel very unsafe without the sirens, I really want them to keep them going," Carver expressed at the meeting in Welton. Other attendees shared similar concerns, questioning how vulnerable populations, like the elderly and low-income residents, might be affected.
Currently, 16 of the county's 34 sirens are operated by Constellation, the company behind the Quad Cities Clean Energy Center, as part of an agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The company is now seeking permission from FEMA to shift to electronic alerts only.
Clinton County Emergency Management Coordinator Chance Kness explained that the county owns the remaining 18 sirens, but they also plan to move to electronic alerts due to the high costs of maintaining the sirens.
"Our elected officials wanted to make sure that the public has a chance to ask questions, understand what we have now, and what we're proposing to move to," Kness said. He also noted that individual towns within the county could vote to take over the operation of the sirens in their areas.
Despite the plans to phase out sirens, many residents remain skeptical. Carver, reflecting on his experience during the 2020 derecho in Cedar Rapids, said, "I hate it... I'm very opposed to it. We didn’t have radar, we didn’t have news, we didn’t have anything."
Officials clarified that while the commission voted to stop using the sirens by the end of the year, a final decision has not been made. The public meetings are part of the process to gather input before a conclusive action is taken.
To sign up for electronic emergency alerts, visit the county's website here.