Mahoning County siren drill set Wednesday morning

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County’s 51 emergency alert sirens will sound for three minutes at 9:50 a.m. Wednesday in an annual drill in conjunction with the statewide observance of Severe Weather Awareness Week.

During this time, the county’s emergency management agency urges schools, businesses and households to practice their plans for tornadoes and other emergencies.

Three minutes would be the time sirens would wail for a real tornado warning, which is designed to get county residents to tune to the media for further information.

During the weekly tests at noon Saturdays, the sirens wail for one minute, said Dennis O’Hara, the county’s interim emergency management director.