A malfunctioning warning siren located behind Williamsburg Township Hall was repaired August 14.

A malfunctioning warning siren located behind Williamsburg Township Hall was repaired August 14.
By Megan Alley
Sun staff

The malfunctioning warning siren behind Williamsburg Township Hall, located at 4025 Alexander Lane, was repaired August 14.

The siren malfunctioned for about two weeks.

“It feels great to get the siren fixed,” said Williamsburg Township Emergency Services Chief Kevin Wiedemann.

“It’s one less worry with all the storms.”

The siren sounded but did not rotate because its batteries were expired.

Originally, the cause of the malfunction was unknown. The township trustees gave Wiedemann direction to investigate the repair during their meeting on August 10.

“I wasn’t sure why it wasn’t working,” Wiedemann said. “I thought it may have gotten hit by lightning.”

When Wiedemann contacted the manufacturer of the 10-year-old siren, he learned it was probably an issue with the battery.

“I replaced the batteries, and it fixed the issue,” Wiedemann said.

The cost of the repair, which consisted of the purchase and installation of four new car batteries, was $320.

There are a total of six emergency sirens set up throughout Williamsburg Township.

“We’re going to test the batteries in all the other sirens too,” he added.

Due to extreme weather conditions, the sirens have gone off about three times in the past month, according to Wiedemann.

“The safety of our residents is of the upmost importance,” he said. “Even though the [malfunctioning] siren was not rotating, other working sirens covered the audible area the [malfunctioning] siren would otherwise cover.”

The Clermont County Department of Public Safety Services tests outdoor warning sirens throughout the county on the first Wednesday of every month at noon.