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Ramsey County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2018 <br /> <br />Page | 46 <br /> <br />its siren system to be fully functional with the use of polygon-based warnings. Tornado warnings issued <br />by the National Weather Service will automatically sound sirens inside or very near the polygon. <br />Summer Weather Watches/Advisories/Warnings – Summer storm watches, advisories, warnings are <br />initiated by the National Weather Service. The emergency warning system is activated by the dispatch <br />center as directed. Ramsey County Emergency Communications Center’s Outdoor Warning Siren <br />procedure can be viewed here: https://www.ramseycounty.us/residents/emergency-response- <br />preparedness/emergency-preparedness-management/preparing-disaster. Residents are also encouraged <br />to receive warnings by NOAA weather radio, Wireless Emergency Alerts and other means. Ramsey <br />County has COOP/COG plans in place. <br />Outdoor Warning Sirens – There are 91 outdoor warning sirens deployed around Ramsey County. Of <br />these 91 sirens, 55 are in suburban Ramsey County and 36 are in Saint Paul. In 2015, Ramsey County <br />Emergency Communications Center started a project to integrate two separate outdoor warning siren <br />systems into a single, county-wide system using Federal Signal’s CommanderOne system. Under the <br />direction of and with funding from the Ramsey County Emergency Communications Center, Federal <br />Signal first conducted and completed a sound propagation study and a thorough inventory of siren <br />systems in municipal Ramsey County (Saint Paul upgraded all their sirens to compatible versions). This <br />information was shared with all the municipalities and those that own outdoor warning sirens upgraded <br />those sirens that required it. As of June 2018, all upgraded sirens were installed and are on line with the <br />CommanderOne system. All the sirens in Ramsey County are activated by Ramsey County Emergency <br />Communications Center. Sirens are activated when the National Weather Service notifies Ramsey <br />County Emergency Communications Center that there are high winds or tornado conditions that pose <br />risk to public safety. Sirens may also be activated for other situations such as a hazardous materials <br />incident under the direction of an Incident Commander. <br />Skywarn Program – Ramsey County Emergency Management and Homeland Security offers Skywarn <br />training in conjunction with the National Weather Service on an annual basis to local public safety <br />personnel, Ramsey County employees and residents that wish to be trained as volunteers. Skywarn <br />spotters help to keep our local municipalities safe by providing timely and accurate reports of severe <br />weather to our local National Weather Service office. Ramsey County Emergency Management and <br />Homeland Security monitors local Skywarn nets and relays information to appropriate persons as <br />needed. <br />Severe Weather Awareness Week – Ramsey County helps promote and participates in the National <br />Weather Service’s “Severe Weather Awareness Week” held in April each year. The event seeks to <br />educate residents on the dangers of severe summer storms and highlights the importance of preparing <br />for severe weather before it strikes. <br />School Closings – The major school districts within Ramsey County have school closing policies and <br />communications plans in place if inclement weather or temperatures create a hazardous situation for <br />students or staff. School districts also use local mass media to relay information. <br />Severe Weather Shelters – The state requires shelters for manufactured home parks with 10 or more <br />manufactured homes per MN Statute 327.20. Ramsey County has 14 manufactured homes parks. Of <br />these parks, 12 have indicated they have shelters, one has stated it does not and one is in an unknown