Siren Malfunction A Scare For Many Hennepin Co. Residents
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- For anybody in Hennepin County who woke up to an unexpected siren Tuesday morning: it was just a malfunction.
According to Hennepin County officials, the "siren activation appears to have been a mistake/malfunction" to their knowledge at this point.
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office says the outdoor warning sirens were inadvertently sounded at 6:10 a.m. The siren system is internally tested daily to ensure functionality, and is a test that does not sound the sirens.
The system, however, experienced a momentary computer hardware malfunction during the daily test. The system has since been repaired and all systems are operating normally, officials said.
"I thought, 'This isn't the first Wednesday of the month, and it's not 1 in the afternoon, so what's going on?" northeast Minneapolis resident Jim Miller said.
Phillip Shorey who lives just a few blocks away, says it was confusing, especially during a morning daze.
"We were thinking there's a tornado, and maybe we should go down in the basement. Then I opened the blinds and it's clear blue sky -- not a cloud in the sky," he said. "[We] turned on the TV to see if something apocalyptic was happening and everyone was in a frenzy."
The false alarm led to a flood of 911 calls and social media interaction. Hennepin County Emergency Management's Facebook page was inundated with comments.
Miller on the other hand says he just went back to sleep and assumed it was a glitch.
"I figured it was somebody who just flipped a switch by mistake, and that can happen," he said.
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Coincidentally, it is Minnesota Severe Weather Awareness week, and statewide tornado drills are scheduled for Thursday at 1:45 p.m. and 6:55 p.m.
If you live in a house with a basement- head there and avoid windows. Also try to get under something sturdy for protection, Crouch as low as possible to the floor and cover your head with your hands.
