The outdoor warning sirens will be tested on the first Tuesday of the month in March through October, Fire Chief Stephen Welgat announced in a news release.
The tests are scheduled for 10 a.m. on those Tuesdays, beginning on March 3.
“Residents are asked to keep in mind that the testing can be postponed should the fire department be responding to an emergency or if there is already severe weather in the area at the designated time of testing,” Welgat wrote.
“Residents are also reminded that the sirens are designed to warn people who are outside to find shelter,” the chief added. “Although some residents can hear the sirens indoors, not everyone who is indoors will be able to hear them.”
Welgat said residents should rely on live weather reports on television, radio and internet applications when severe weather is possible and follow directions to find shelter when the severe weather is imminent.
The open burning policy for landscape waste in Kewanee stipulates that the time frame for burning does not begin until Wednesdays and Saturdays in April, May and June, then again in September, October and November.
With milder temperatures in late February and the month of March, residents can be tempted to get a head start on lawncare, Welgat wrote. Typically, vegetation has not begun to grow yet and is still brown and extremely dry.
Windy weather is also a common trend during this time of year.
“When both aspects are present, it creates a higher than usual fire danger,” the chief wrote. “It is very common to see brush fires this time of year and most times they are unintentional. Many areas have burn bans in place for this very reason.”
The fire department asks all residents to follow city ordinances and abstain from open burning until the proper time has arrived.
More information on the siren testing and on open burning is available from the fire department by phoning 309-852-2115.
