City of Mount Vernon Warning Sirens to Be Tested

MOUNT VERNON, May 13, 2025 – The City of Mount Vernon’s outdoor warning sirens are scheduled to be
tested between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Bender Communications plans
to test the sirens’ panels, and while it does not anticipate the sirens being activated during the work, that is a
possibility.
The maintenance will be postponed if there is a heightened risk of severe weather on Wednesday. As of
Tuesday afternoon, the National Weather Service was calling for a 60 percent chance of showers and
possibly thunderstorms on Wednesday between 2 and 7 p.m. The City has six warning sirens strategically
placed around Mount Vernon.
While the warning sirens are routinely sounded whenever the risk of tornadoes in and around the City is
high, they may have other uses in an emergency situation as well.
Last year, however, was a record year for tornadoes in Ohio, with 73 of the destructive storms confirmed
across the state from late February through to the last days of 2024. The previous state record was 62
tornadoes in 1992, while Ohio averages 21 twisters annually.
The strongest Ohio tornado of 2024, reaching an EF3 level with wind speeds of 136 to 165 mph, struck the
community of Indian Lake, 148 miles west of Mount Vernon in Logan County, on March 14, killing three
people. Statewide, tornadoes last year caused $22 million in property damage across Ohio last year and
$150,000 in crop damage. No tornadoes were confirmed in Knox County in 2024.
While tornadoes get the most attention, summer storms can produce several kinds of dangerous weather,
from large hail and strong winds to heavy rain and lightning. Hail and high winds can also cause serious
property damage, while heavy rains may result in flash flooding. Although rare, lightning strikes can cause
significant injury or even death.
If Wednesday’s siren testing in Mount Vernon is postponed because of severe weather, updates will be
posted on the City’s Facebook page.