According to the St. Charles County Division of Emergency Management website, Outdoor Warning Devices are only meant to be heard outdoors:
“Outdoor warning devices are intended to warn those who are outside when they are sounded. They are not intended to penetrate inside a structure, especially considering ambient noise and insulation. Please augment your safety by purchasing a Weather Alert receiver!”
Residents are not expected to hear the tornado and weather sirens from inside their homes, especially those with hearing loss. It is recommended that everyone own a weather radio to alert them to bad weather and tornadoes. For those who have hearing loss and may not hear the weather radio alerts, they can purchase systems to attach to the radio which would utilize bed shakers, strobe lights or extra loud sounds to alert them.
The recommended radios are NOAA weather radios with an external device jack to plug in an additional alerting device. The NOAA radios can be purchased at any electronic store. You can also purchase a Sonic Shaker alarm clock, which has the bed shaker and extra loud alarm sounds, at Midwest ENT Centre. Call the Audiology Department for details.