City of Ann Arbor seeking community feedback as it considers retiring outdoor warning system

The City of Ann Arbor is considering getting rid of its outdoor warning siren system and is now seeking feedback from residents before making a final decision.

Starting with the cost-to-benefit ratio, there is a price to keeping the 22 sirens in working condition that city leaders suggest might not be worth it, considering how little they're actually used.

"I've been with the city for five years. We've activated them twice," said Ann Arbor Emergency Manager Sydney Parmenter.

Parmenter says siren repair costs will total roughly $180,000 over the next three years, and another $17,000 per year for maintenance.

"And this will get us [covered] for a couple years, and then we'll have to get back and reinvest in them," she said.

She says their role is to get the attention of anyone outside to seek shelter, but the sirens don't specify if that's due to weather, environmental hazards, or national security reasons.

"So at that point we're pointing you to your cell phone, the internet, the news, the radio, and your weather radio to get more specific information about what emergency is occurring," Parmenter said.

It's those mobile communication tools, she says, makes sirens that can be heard across the city obsolete.

"We do have our local A2 Alerts. We have a partnership with the county who has access to issue wireless emergency alerts and activate the wireless emergency alert system. And also that system they can activate on our local radio channels and TV channels," Parmenter says.

Even though these sirens aren't only for weather warnings, Michigan Storm Chasers told CBS News Detroit that Ann Arbor might want to consider keeping them around as another layer of protection due to the amount of outdoor activities that happen.

Ann Arbor residents are encouraged to fill out a survey to provide feedback on whether to keep the outdoor warning sirens.