Sounding the siren: Officials explain how tornado sirens are utilized in Buchanan County

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- The eerie sound of a tornado siren is synonymous with severe weather season in the American Midwest, a familiar tool used for decades to warn those outdoors of a pending tornado threat.

Buchanan County Emergency Management Director, Bill Brinton, oversees tornado siren operations and maintenance locally.

"In Buchanan County, we have 18 sirens and they're usually around our cities and villages and population area," said Brinton. "Over the past four or five years we've been replacing them. And so it's more it's all about public safety. It's all about, protecting you in the event of a tornado.”

As most sirens aren’t automated, sounding them is up to local officials.

“Well, the City of St. Joseph has our police and fire communication center, and they are the people who set off the city sirens and the county sirens," said Brinton. "So they monitor the weather in our communications center. And when there is a tornado warning, then they will set the sirens off until the warning is over. When one siren goes off, they all go off.”

For example, tornado sirens like one found on Charles Street could be blaring in Downtown St. Joseph due to a warning on the other side of the county. On the other hand, it could also signal an imminent tornado danger in the city limits. This should be your cue to first seek shelter, then seek more information and act accordingly.

Aside from tornado warnings, local sirens can also be activated if a particularly strong severe thunderstorm could produce winds at or above 80 mph.

That scenario played out on a June evening in 2023, when a destructive storm took down trees and power lines across much of St. Joseph. 

For some residents, the sirens caused confusion without the presence of a tornado warning. Former SJPD Communications Director and current Deputy Chief of Police, Jason Strong, explained the intentional decision to activate the sirens in a July 2023 interview.

"What's really important to note is, the staff acted, you know, in the best interests of the community, and community safety is our number one priority. Ultimately, at the end of the day, that's our job. That's our task, is to make sure that the community safe," said Strong. "So we'll be here and, you know, we will be standing by if we need to initiate the disaster sirens again.”

During the storm, winds as high as 82 mph were observed at Rosecrans Memorial Airport.

The last tornado to strike Buchanan County had maximum wind speeds of 85 mph, an EF-0 that touched down near Agency, Missouri, tracking just over 4 miles on the evening of May 19, 2025. 

The small tornado left a residence near State Route O and County Road 150 littered with tree damage. A resident who rode out the storm reportedly heard a nearby tornado siren just before it struck.

One mile east, Charlie Hart’s property was also impacted by the narrow twister.

“At my house, what is the bull's eye, looks like. You know, the house next door. They lost a few shingles. And my other neighbor, he didn't have any damage at all. You know, my whole backyard here was full of limbs and stuff. And boy, I tell you, when this started coming through, it was, it was loud," said Hart.

Hart received the severe thunderstorm warning and subsequent tornado warning over the TV.

“I knew it was getting bad, and I got two cats, and I gathered them up, and I went downstairs, you know, and I got a safe spot back there and in my basement," said Hart.

Knowing your safe spot, and having multiple ways to receive alerts is critical when it comes to staying safe from severe weather.

"You should have some weather app that notifies you when an event is going on. Do not rely on our sirens. Have a backup plan,” Brinton said.

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