New sirens have been placed at specific locations, such as 625 N. Arapaho and the SE corner of Iowa and Walnut St. Others have replaced existing sirens on Senior Citizen property, the 200 block of W. 6th St., and Ike’s Acres. Additionally, an electronic siren with multiple functions was installed at the new Pavilion site.
Formerly activated by a phone line, the old system was prone to power outages. The new system operates via wireless radio with battery backups, ensuring functionality even during power failures. The sirens conduct daily self-tests silently, and any issues are reported on a control panel at the Town Hall. Activation can also be done remotely by police or fire officials using two-way radio.
The trustees are refining the protocol for sounding the sirens as needed. Testing of the new storm sirens will continue over the next few weeks, and the siren at the Pavilion will eventually play Westminster chimes daily at noon.
In January 2023, the Hennessey Trustees approved the purchase of new storm sirens to replace aging ones, some of which date back to 1956. This decision was initially made in September 2018 but was delayed until an OG&E plan was finalized.
Among the original sirens, the one on the water tower, in place for 67 years, was not working, while others near the school and on Oakwood Dr. were installed in 1973. Some were bought from Stillwater and are approximately 20 years old. The new plan involved replacing and relocating sirens to enhance coverage.
Chickasaw Communications provided the new alarm system and has already installed four new sirens. These sirens are mounted on heavy-duty poles, with operational components attached. The company had previously installed radios for the Hennessey police and fire department.
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