In response to and preparation for severe weather, the San Marcos warning sirens aim to warn people of potential emergencies.
According to the city’s website, on Aug. 1, 2024, the city of San Marcos’ outdoor warning system became fully operational again after required maintenance repairs and upgrades were concluded.
The sirens were first introduced and installed in 2011.
From severe weather to hazardous incidents, the 14 sirens located throughout the city help alert the community of potential threats by emitting a series of tones.
Billy Hernandez, a San Marcos resident who lived in the city his whole life, said prior to the warning sirens’ first installation, law enforcement would warn people of emergency situations going door by door and projecting siren sounds through speakers.
“We had previous floods before 2011, we had stuff in 2008 and 2003, and we had the 1998 flood that devastated the whole town,” Hernandez said. “Back in those days, you just had to hope that your local law enforcement could be able to reach to your neighborhood and get to everybody, if a flood was coming in.”
Richard A. Earl, geography and environmental studies distinguished professor, said San Marcos is in the region known as Flash Flood Alley, one of the most flood-prone areas in the U.S. He said the region is more susceptible to flooding between September and early November.
“Our location is such that you can get lots of tropical moisture, and then if you have some kind of weather system, like a cold front, or what they call upper-level long various weather systems, that can cause those moisture sources to come together, you can get very heavy rainfall,” Earl said.
According to the city’s website, the warning sirens can be activated individually, but are primarily synchronized in the case of a city-wide emergency.
Earl said it is important to implement stronger efforts in public awareness and education on the warning systems, especially when it comes to informing visitors.
“A fundamental problem is that the warning systems are based upon TV, radio, your smartphones and people at a recreation spot, that isn’t their home, they employ what’s called reverse 911, and so all they can do is notify people of a flood hazard or tornadoes,” Earl said.
Different tone patterns are designated to different emergencies, with severe weather or tornado warnings being identified as single steady long tones that last for three minutes.
The warning sirens undergo periodic testing every first Saturday of the month at 12 p.m., with testing halted if inclement weather is present.
Hernandez said since their reinstallation, he could hear the warning sirens but thinks there should be more resources for the public on what to do in case of an emergency.
“I feel like there should be a lot of free public workshops, or there should be every so many months, even though we’re not dealing with any storms and stuff right now…” Hernandez said. “There should be some public groups or something organized by the city, just something that gives not just the students, but also the residents.”
