LaPorte County approves $50,000 for siren repairs, weighs shift to weather radios

LaPorte County’s emergency management director told the county council on June 22 that many outdoor warning sirens are failing and increasingly expensive to fix because parts for older federal-model siren heads are no longer available.

Rob Sebie, LaPorte County Emergency Management director, said federal suppliers have stopped carrying parts for the county’s aging siren heads and that replacements run about $30,000 apiece. He told the council the county currently has roughly $19,000 in outstanding invoices for recent repairs and that some sirens are effectively at “end of life.”

“Some of these are like trying to fix a 30‑year‑old car that runs all the time,” Sebie said, noting that one tall Prairie Township siren required a rental lift and special handling. He also said he is pursuing grant funding to distribute NOAA weather radios to residents.

Council members questioned whether the county should invest in full siren replacements or shift resources to alternative systems. Several members argued weather radios and the Rave/Smart 911 phone-alert system would reach people indoors more reliably than outdoor sirens.

Mr. Kessler and others said weather radios (retailing roughly $45–$50 apiece) and expanded Rave outreach could be a cost‑effective complement or partial alternative to replacing multiple sirens. Sebie said the county is pursuing two state grant options and a private mitigation grant (about $20,000) that could buy a number of radios.

Rather than grant the full $100,000 requested for siren work, the council approved a motion to allocate $50,000 from riverboat funds focused on maintenance and limited replacements, and asked emergency management to prepare a plan that includes grant opportunities and a public outreach campaign. The motion was seconded and carried with recorded nays.

Council members also recommended piloting weather‑radio distribution in Prairie Township, where local trustees indicated they could contribute to repair costs, and asked staff to coordinate with Rave for marketing and demonstrations at community events such as the county fair.

The council’s action provides immediate funds to address pressing repair invoices and limited replacements while directing staff to return with a plan weighing long‑term alternatives such as wider weather‑radio distribution and targeted outreach for Smart 911/Rave sign‑ups.

Next steps: Emergency Management will pursue grant opportunities for weather radios, coordinate a pilot distribution (Prairie Township was suggested), and present a written plan to the council that outlines priorities for the $50,000 and any additional funding requests.