MONROE - The first of two new storm sirens for the city could be operational near the corner of Fourth Avenue West and West Sixth Street by Aug. 1.
The Monroe Public Safety Committee on Monday night accepted a quote of $17,800 from Precision Drive and Control, Inc., Monroe, for an additional storm siren. The committee authorized Fire Chief Daryl Rausch to purchase the equipment and have it installed.
Rausch said he budgeted $20,000 for the siren and installation. The $17,800 does not include running feed lines, if overhead or underground lines are not nearby.
The new siren horn is rotational with a 2,000-foot audible reach.
Rausch said the siren should be able to cover the entire west end of town, and will cover the new Wal-Mart Supercenter location north of Wisconsin 11.
The outdoor warning system is "not made to be heard inside homes," he said, nor is it used for fire calls.
The equipment will arrive a few weeks after it is ordered; Rausch said it should take only about a week to install the siren and have it operational.
Rausch requested a three-year plan to upgrade the city storm siren system in March 2007. At that time, he estimated the total upgrade to cost $48,000.
Last year, the system was upgraded to radio control at a cost of $12,500.
A second siren was being planned for installation near the north end of 18th Avenue in 2009.
But Rausch said that location may now be north of Wis. 11/81. He will wait to see if Menards is built, and then determine a better location for the siren.
The three-year plan includes relocation of some sirens in 2010.
The city's current sirens are located at City Hall; along 8 1/2 Street near Northside Elementary School; along Eighth Street near The Blue Ox; at the southern end of Fourth Avenue West near the Monroe Estates Mobile Home Park; on 25th Street just west of Abraham Lincoln Accelerated Learning Academy; and on 21st Street just south of Lincoln Park.
Precision Drive and Control, Inc., which does siren maintenance for the city, and Federal Signal, the siren manufacturer, were commissioned in 2006 to study the city's siren dead zones and to recommend new equipment and locations. The study recommended adding two louder sirens or three smaller ones to cover the city's two dead zones on the west and north sides.
The Monroe Public Safety Committee on Monday night accepted a quote of $17,800 from Precision Drive and Control, Inc., Monroe, for an additional storm siren. The committee authorized Fire Chief Daryl Rausch to purchase the equipment and have it installed.
Rausch said he budgeted $20,000 for the siren and installation. The $17,800 does not include running feed lines, if overhead or underground lines are not nearby.
The new siren horn is rotational with a 2,000-foot audible reach.
Rausch said the siren should be able to cover the entire west end of town, and will cover the new Wal-Mart Supercenter location north of Wisconsin 11.
The outdoor warning system is "not made to be heard inside homes," he said, nor is it used for fire calls.
The equipment will arrive a few weeks after it is ordered; Rausch said it should take only about a week to install the siren and have it operational.
Rausch requested a three-year plan to upgrade the city storm siren system in March 2007. At that time, he estimated the total upgrade to cost $48,000.
Last year, the system was upgraded to radio control at a cost of $12,500.
A second siren was being planned for installation near the north end of 18th Avenue in 2009.
But Rausch said that location may now be north of Wis. 11/81. He will wait to see if Menards is built, and then determine a better location for the siren.
The three-year plan includes relocation of some sirens in 2010.
The city's current sirens are located at City Hall; along 8 1/2 Street near Northside Elementary School; along Eighth Street near The Blue Ox; at the southern end of Fourth Avenue West near the Monroe Estates Mobile Home Park; on 25th Street just west of Abraham Lincoln Accelerated Learning Academy; and on 21st Street just south of Lincoln Park.
Precision Drive and Control, Inc., which does siren maintenance for the city, and Federal Signal, the siren manufacturer, were commissioned in 2006 to study the city's siren dead zones and to recommend new equipment and locations. The study recommended adding two louder sirens or three smaller ones to cover the city's two dead zones on the west and north sides.