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City officials say they hope to replace all 11 existing storm sirens in Carthage in time for the start of the height of severe storm season in May.
The Carthage City Council Public Safety Committee approved a plan for Fire Chief Chris Thompson and City Administrator Tom Short to see requests for proposals from firms that build and install new storm sirens across Carthage.
The plan will likely cost between $200,000 and $250,000, Thompson said. Officials plan to open the proposals from siren vendors on Feb. 15, and have the winning vendor install the sirens by May 1.
Currently the city has 11 storm sirens, some dating back to the 1950s. Thompson said many of the sirens are clustered in the northeast part of Carthage, leaving parts of the more recently-developed south end of town without siren coverage.
Thompson said a more comprehensive plan for locating sirens around the city, coupled with more modern sirens, could cover the entire city with the same number or fewer sirens.
“I would venture to say we’ll actually have fewer sirens,” Thompson said. “If you look at our current map, in the northeast part of town, we have a pretty good cluster of sirens. The original plan was to install newer sirens in the mid-1990s as those old 1950s sirens died out. The way it has worked, the 1950s sirens are holding up better than the mid-90s sirens so we’ve never had to phase them out.
“We have this little cluster right now so I would say it’s a good possibility that the sirens will be relocated for better coverage and I just don’t see us having to increase the total number right now.”
Thompson said he and Short decided to ask siren vendors for their ideas on how to cover the city instead of issuing specifications for the vendors to follow.
“We looked at writing specs for the storm sirens but actually felt that would be too directed at one vendor so we decided to open it up as an RFP (request for proposal) and let the vendors come to us and explain what they think we would need and be best for the city,” Thompson said. “There are a lot of different options. Plan is for Tom and I to get together finish the RFP, get it submitted. We’re still looking at a Feb. 15 bid opening.”
City officials say they hope to replace all 11 existing storm sirens in Carthage in time for the start of the height of severe storm season in May.
The Carthage City Council Public Safety Committee approved a plan for Fire Chief Chris Thompson and City Administrator Tom Short to see requests for proposals from firms that build and install new storm sirens across Carthage.
The plan will likely cost between $200,000 and $250,000, Thompson said. Officials plan to open the proposals from siren vendors on Feb. 15, and have the winning vendor install the sirens by May 1.
Currently the city has 11 storm sirens, some dating back to the 1950s. Thompson said many of the sirens are clustered in the northeast part of Carthage, leaving parts of the more recently-developed south end of town without siren coverage.
Thompson said a more comprehensive plan for locating sirens around the city, coupled with more modern sirens, could cover the entire city with the same number or fewer sirens.
“I would venture to say we’ll actually have fewer sirens,” Thompson said. “If you look at our current map, in the northeast part of town, we have a pretty good cluster of sirens. The original plan was to install newer sirens in the mid-1990s as those old 1950s sirens died out. The way it has worked, the 1950s sirens are holding up better than the mid-90s sirens so we’ve never had to phase them out.
“We have this little cluster right now so I would say it’s a good possibility that the sirens will be relocated for better coverage and I just don’t see us having to increase the total number right now.”
Thompson said he and Short decided to ask siren vendors for their ideas on how to cover the city instead of issuing specifications for the vendors to follow.
“We looked at writing specs for the storm sirens but actually felt that would be too directed at one vendor so we decided to open it up as an RFP (request for proposal) and let the vendors come to us and explain what they think we would need and be best for the city,” Thompson said. “There are a lot of different options. Plan is for Tom and I to get together finish the RFP, get it submitted. We’re still looking at a Feb. 15 bid opening.”
