Sirens testing Wednesday in Cape to find best area for new towers

Sirens sounding in Cape Girardeau on Wednesday are planned as part of an evaluation process that will locate the best sites, should the city decide to add to its siren and public address system.

Testing of the city's four existing sirens will start at 8:30 a.m. and will likely be heard in the downtown area as well as near the Shawnee Sports Complex and Arena Park.

Cape Girardeau fire chief Rick Ennis said the city's current sirens do not effectively cover all areas of the city and has been advocating for additional sirens for some time. The city is exploring several options for building out its system, Ennis said, including asking for sponsors to pay for installation of more sirens, which can cost around $20,000 each. Sirens the city has now are in place because of the Adopt-a-Siren program, which allows organizations and businesses to donate funds for sirens.

The fire department is conducting Wednesday's testing and will focus on the distance capacity of the current sirens' reach for popular outdoor venues in the city, such as parks, Ennis said, and will test some locations with sirens attached to trucks to see where new sirens should be located.

Pertinent address:

Cape Girardeau, Mo.