TITLE 290 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Final Rule
LSA Document #11-666(F)
DIGEST
Adds
290 IAC 2 concerning severe weather warning sirens and replaces the emergency rule that is currently in effect. Effective 30 days after filing with the Publisher.
SECTION 1.
290 IAC 2 IS ADDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:
ARTICLE 2. SEVERE WEATHER WARNING SIRENS
Rule 1. Severe Weather Warning Siren Planning
Authority:
IC 36-8-21.5-9
Sec. 1. Severe weather warning sirens are used to alert citizens to an imminent weather hazard and prompt them to find shelter and to seek further detailed information from such sources as all-hazards weather radios and the media. A purpose of this article is to establish uniform county planning documents that may be used by county officials to determine when additional sirens are required. Another purpose is to establish common guidelines for the activation of sirens throughout Indiana that are in accordance with identified best practices throughout the United States. The article clarifies and provides detailed guidance concerning the following:
(1) The minimum standards and specifications of severe weather warning sirens used to notify citizens of an impending emergency or disaster incident including a minimum range, coverage patterns, and weather resistance characteristics for any outdoor siren that is to be acquired and installed in a county under a county's siren coverage plan.
(2) Required elements of a county siren coverage report.
(3) Required elements of a county siren coverage plan, which shall address the following:
(A) Types of audible outdoor warning system equipment to be used in participating counties.
(B) Activation requirements, control, and monitoring of an outdoor public alert system (PAS).
(C) Warning signal protocols and standards.
(D) Audibility and installation standards of an outdoor siren.
(4) A general description of any storm, weather condition, or emergency, including a tornado, for which an outdoor weather warning siren may be activated.
(5) Requirements for any test, activation, or failure rate data that the IDHS may require a county to submit with respect to any siren identified by a county in a siren coverage report prepared by a county that complies with section 9 of this rule or siren coverage plan prepared by a county that complies with section 12 of this rule and any other information necessary for the IDHS to:
(A) assess the number, location, and operational condition of existing outdoor severe warning sirens in each county in Indiana;
(B) review a county's siren coverage report;
(C) review a county's siren coverage plan; and
(D) determine and advise the county of the need for additional sirens in order to ensure comprehensive severe weather warning siren coverage for the county.
(Department of Homeland Security; 290 IAC 2-1-1; filed Aug 8, 2012, 10:43 a.m.: 20120905-IR-290110666FRA)
Authority:
IC 36-8-21.5-9
Sec. 2. The following definitions apply throughout this article:
(1) "Activation" means the measure or measures taken by a community to begin operating an alerting and severe weather warning siren system for a specific jurisdiction based upon an actual or perceived threat to life, health, and property.
(2) "Alert" means any text, voice, video, or other information provided by an authorized official to provide situational awareness to the public or private, or both, sector concerning a potential or ongoing emergency situation, which may require actions to protect life, health, and property.
(3) "Audibility" means to describe the degree to which a sound can be heard, and it is considered a key metric for evaluating outdoor warning systems. Important components of audibility include whether the sound is louder than the surrounding ambient noise and its ability to attract the attention of otherwise occupied individuals.
(4) "Authorized county official" means the individual designated as having authority within a county to activate the county's severe weather warning sirens if there is an actual or perceived threat to life, health, and property.
(5) "County siren coverage plan" means the document generated by Indiana counties detailing the necessary information as prescribed by IC 36-8-21.5-13.
(6) "County siren coverage report" means a document generated by Indiana counties detailing the necessary information as prescribed by IC 36-8-21.5-11, which calls for data related to the county's existing or planned warning sirens. The data found in this report shall include such information as areas covered by existing sirens, projected locations for planned sirens, maintenance and testing of existing systems, and identification of persons designated as having authority to activate the county's severe weather warning sirens.
(7) "dB(C)" refers to decibels relative to the carrier.
(8) "Emergency" means an unexpected event that places life or property, or both, in danger and requires an immediate response through the use of available community resources.
(9) "Failure rate" means the number or percentage of actual failures observed through the testing and activation of warning systems at a given site or location.
(10) "IDHS" refers to the Indiana department of homeland security established in IC 10-19-3-3.
(11) "Infrastructure agency" means an Indiana political subdivision or a designated agency responsible for acquiring, operating, maintaining, and testing one (1) or more severe weather warning sirens in an area.
(12) "Installation" means the setting in place of one (1) or more severe weather warning sirens in a given county for the purpose of alerting or warning the public of actual or potentially hazardous situations.
(13) "Maximum coverage area" means the fullest extent to which a severe weather warning siren is expected to be effective in alerting and warning the public.
(14) "Minimum technical standards" means the minimum standards and specifications of severe weather warning sirens used to notify citizens of an impending emergency or disaster.
(15) "Outdoor warning system" is a term used to describe the mechanisms, processes, equipment, and devices in fixed or mobile locations positioned outdoors activated to notify and warn the public of impending life-threatening situations.
(16) "Planning agency", with respect to a county, means a unit of government that has planning and zoning jurisdiction over all or part of the area or a plan commission that has planning jurisdiction over all or any part of the area.
(17) "SEPSS" refers to stored emergency power supply system.
(18) "Severe weather warning siren" means an outdoor device that can be activated with a specified range to warn residents of an occurrence or imminent threat of weather using audible signals and sounds.
(19) "Temporary dwelling" means buildings, structures, or portions of land dedicated to recreational, camping, travel, or seasonal use.
(20) "Testing" means the practice of evaluating a specific resource, capability, or function to determine its effectiveness based upon specific criteria or standards.
(21) "Wail" means a common audible siren alert tone that remains steady over a period of three (3) minutes to five (5) minutes.
(22) "Warning" means a hydro-meteorological message issued to provide appropriate information of hazardous and potentially life-threatening weather conditions, which may also include key actions to be taken by the public to prevent loss of life and damage to property.
(Department of Homeland Security; 290 IAC 2-1-2; filed Aug 8, 2012, 10:43 a.m.: 20120905-IR-290110666FRA)
Authority:
IC 36-8-21.5-9
Sec. 3. (a) This article provides guidance to counties concerning the development of a county siren coverage report and a county siren coverage plan, the primary documents as outlined in IC 36-8-21.5-11 and IC 36-8-21.5-13, which focus on a county's acquisition, installation, testing, and maintenance of outdoor severe weather warning sirens. Counties complying with this article shall integrate the following factors into the siren coverage report and siren coverage plan:
(1) Identification of areas within the county where outdoor alerting systems will be most effective.
(2) Identification of those populations within a county in need of alerting by methods other than outdoor alerting systems.
(3) Measurements on the surrounding ambient noise levels as well as the terrain at potential PAS locations.
(4) Determination of weather conditions to include typical and extreme conditions.
(5) Evaluation of the types of outdoor public alert system devices and other alternatives.
(6) Estimation of the potential costs for the planned installation, testing, and maintenance of severe weather warning sirens.
(Department of Homeland Security; 290 IAC 2-1-3; filed Aug 8, 2012, 10:43 a.m.: 20120905-IR-290110666FRA)
Authority:
IC 36-8-21.5-9
Sec. 4. This article does not apply to an Indiana county that has not elected to prepare a siren coverage report as prescribed by IC 36-8-21.5-11, a necessary preliminary step in the county's discretionary decision whether or not to prepare and to adopt a county siren coverage plan. Section 9 of this rule, concerning the required content of the siren coverage report, applies only to those counties that have elected to prepare a siren coverage report under IC 36-8-21.5-11. Section 12 of this rule, concerning the required content of a siren coverage plan, applies only to those counties that have elected to prepare a county siren coverage plan under IC 36-8-21.5-13.
(Department of Homeland Security; 290 IAC 2-1-4; filed Aug 8, 2012, 10:43 a.m.: 20120905-IR-290110666FRA)
290 IAC 2-1-5 Minimum technical standards for severe weather warning sirens
Authority:
IC 36-8-21.5-9
Sec. 5. (a) The following standards and specifications shall be applied to those outdoor severe weather warning sirens installed and maintained in Indiana counties that have prepared a county siren coverage plan:
(1) Severe weather warning sirens may be of either electromechanical or electronic design.
(2) Severe weather warning sirens may employ three (3) coverage patterns to provide a full range of the alert coverage to a given area:
(A) directional, which are devices sending out a highly focused cone of sound in the direction that they are pointing;
(B) rotating, which are devices designed to spin completely several times per minute so the sound spreads three hundred sixty (360) degrees in a horizontal plane; or
(C) omnidirectional, which are devices designed to have the same sound power in all directions in a horizontal plane by employing multiple horns radiating out from a central point, covering a full three hundred sixty (360) degrees, without the need to rotate.
(3) Severe weather warning sirens shall be weather resistant and able to operate in a range of environmental conditions and temperatures (minus thirty (30) degrees centigrade to plus sixty (60) degrees centigrade).
(4) Severe weather warning sirens shall be resistant to insects and nesting birds.
(5) Severe weather warning sirens shall have sufficient power to provide for continuous, uninterrupted service to perform all of its essential functions including the activation, control, monitoring, and testing of the warning system components if conditions warrant. Severe weather warning sirens shall:
(A) be powered by the local electrical grid and in order to operate in the absence of this power source; and
(B) integrate and use one (1) or more of the following backup power configurations:
(i) Primary power from a local electric distribution grid, supplemented by emergency or standby power systems (for example, engine-driven generators).
(ii) Primary power from a local electrical distribution grid backed by an SEPSS (for example, batteries).
(iii) Primary power from on-site power system (for example, engine-driven generator) backed by SEPSS.
(iv) Primary power from uninterruptible power supply (UPS) that "floats" on local electrical distribution grid.
(v) Photo-voltaic or thermo-voltaic devices (that is, solar cells, used to charge SEPSS to supply steady electric power).
(6) UPS or SEPSS for outdoor severe weather warning siren systems shall:
(A) at a minimum, be designed to operate in a standby mode for at least twenty-four (24) hours without AC power from the local electrical distribution grid;
(B) be capable of operating in its alerting mode at its full design capability without recharge for a period of at least fifteen (15) minutes;
(C) allow for automatic charging to be sized such that batteries in the UPS or SEPSS are fully recharged to at least eighty percent (80%) of their maximum rated capacity from the fully discharged state in a period of twenty-four (24) hours; and
(D) utilize batteries of a maintenance-free design with a charging system designed to ensure a minimum battery life of at least three (3) years.
(7) The installation, maintenance, and use of severe weather warning sirens shall follow the manufacturer's recommendations and guidelines.
(b) Counties electing to develop a siren coverage plan under IC 36-8-21.5-13 shall establish a central control site for their outdoor warning system having the capability to communicate and obtain information from all severe weather warning sirens erected in the county. Communication may take place through one (1) of the following means:
(1) A wired channel technology, consisting of either copper or fiber optic lines, with fiber optic lines being preferable.
(2) A wireless communications technology, consisting of radio frequencies in very high frequency (VHF) or the ultra high frequency (UHF) ranges.
(3) Other communications technologies, such as satellite communication channels, where a central control site may communicate with multiple outdoor siren sites.
(c) If severe weather warning sirens are activated in an affected county, they shall provide alert and warning to the public at regular intervals if emergency conditions persist or are expected to continue over a prolonged period of time. The continuation of alerts may occur at least every twelve (12) minutes for the first hour and every twenty (20) minutes thereafter, until the danger or threat to the public has dissipated.
(d) A common audible siren alert for an impending or occurring severe weather incident shall consist of a steady wail tone that is signaled over a period of three (3) to five (5) minutes.
(e) Severe weather warning sirens may also include a voice broadcast capability in addition to the wail, but such broadcast capability may not replace the wail as the primary tone in altering the public of impending hazardous conditions.
(f) Counties that have outdoor warning systems with other alerts, tone, and voice messaging capabilities shall communicate these alerts to senior officials, responders, and the public at large to ensure there is understanding of the types of alerts that may be heard and their corresponding meanings. This information shall also be made available in a county siren coverage plan.
(g) In addition to the specifications listed above, counties adopting a siren coverage plan shall also consider the following when acquiring, installing, maintaining, and testing their outdoor warning systems:
(1) Integration of severe weather warning sirens with other systems that focus on communications, mapping, and frequent integration of new technologies and best practices.
(2) Ensuring other forms and means of communicating warning are made available to populations who are hearing impaired.
(Department of Homeland Security; 290 IAC 2-1-5; filed Aug 8, 2012, 10:43 a.m.: 20120905-IR-290110666FRA)
Authority:
IC 36-8-21.5-9
Sec. 6. (a) Within the county's siren coverage plan, the county shall designate, by position, the appropriate infrastructure agency or agencies with the authority to activate county severe weather warning sirens for areas or for the entire county for purposes of monitoring, maintaining, and testing equipment.
(b) If the authorized county official or officials have made the decision to activate outdoor severe weather warning sirens, the initial alerting of the public shall take place as soon as possible, preferably within two (2) minutes of the time the decision has been made. The completion of the initial alert shall be within five (5) minutes of that initial decision.
(c) Designated infrastructure agencies shall provide the necessary training and safety instructions to operate and maintain the siren or sirens with which responsibility has been given by the authorized county official or officials.
(Department of Homeland Security; 290 IAC 2-1-6; filed Aug 8, 2012, 10:43 a.m.: 20120905-IR-290110666FRA)
290 IAC 2-1-7 Siren audibility and installation standards
Authority:
IC 36-8-21.5-9
Sec. 7. (a) Indiana counties have wide and varied population densities, encompassing rural, suburban, and urban areas, which shall be considered in the site selection and installation of severe weather warning sirens. Counties shall utilize the following guidelines to determine the appropriate audibility and effective installation for their severe weather warning sirens:
(1) For those areas within counties electing to develop a siren coverage plan that are uninhabited or where there are no permanent or temporary dwellings, counties have the option of not installing severe weather warning sirens, but shall specify other warning means and methods to be employed to warn the public in those specified areas.
(2) Rural areas in participating counties where residential housing density is less than one (1) dwelling per one hundred (100) acres may consider installing severe weather warning sirens for their population. The average ambient background noise level in these areas is estimated to be less than thirty (30) dB(C) at ground level. When installing severe weather warning sirens in these areas, they shall provide a sound pressure level of at least forty (40) dB(C) to be distinguished and heeded by the public. Counties have the option of not installing severe weather warning sirens in these areas, but shall specify other warning means and methods to be employed to warn the public and incorporate this information within their county siren coverage plan.
(3) Participating Indiana counties with suburban residential areas consisting primarily of single family homes with a density of less than one (1) dwelling per five (5) acres may consider installing severe weather warning sirens. These areas may also include agricultural land use or commercial activity. The average ambient background noise in level in similar areas is estimated to be approximately forty (40) dB(C) at ground level and the installation of severe weather warning sirens shall provide a sound pressure level of at least fifty (50) dB(C) to be distinguished and heeded by the public. Counties have the option of not installing severe weather warning sirens in these areas, but shall specify other warning means and methods to be employed to warn the public and incorporate this information within their county siren coverage plan.
(4) Counties consisting primarily of residential areas with single family homes having an average density of less than one (1) dwelling per quarter acre, and which have no significant commercial activity, are appropriate for warning sirens. The average ambient background noise is estimated at fifty (50) dB(C) at ground level, and installation of warning sirens shall provide a sound pressure level of at least sixty (60) dB(C) so as to be distinguished and heeded by the public. Counties have the option of not installing severe weather warning sirens in these areas, but shall specify other warning means and methods to be employed to warn the public and incorporate this information within their county siren coverage plan.
(5) Urban residential areas in counties electing to develop a siren coverage report that consist of both single and multifamily housing units that have an average population density of one (1) dwelling per quarter acre or more are appropriate for severe weather warning sirens. The average ambient background noise is estimated in these areas at sixty (60) dB(C) at ground level, and installation of warning sirens shall provide a sound pressure level of at least seventy (70) dB(C) so as to be distinguished and heeded by the public.
(6) Counties electing to develop a siren coverage report with commercial/industrial areas where the daytime population density is greater than two thousand five hundred (2,500) persons per square mile or areas where there are major highways or thoroughfares with estimated vehicle counts of over three hundred (300) per hour in a given one-hour period are appropriate for severe weather warning sirens. The average ambient background noise as estimated at seventy (70) dB(C) at ground level, and installation of severe weather warning sirens shall be provide a sound pressure level of at least eighty (80) dB(C) so as to be distinguished by the public.
(b) Severe weather warning sirens installed in counties shall be affixed to stationary poles of wood, concrete, or metal, at a minimum height of not less than forty (40) feet but not greater than fifty-five (55) feet.
(c) Severe weather warning sirens shall be installed so as not to produce a sound pressure greater than one hundred twenty-three (123) dB(C) at ground level. Sounds of this intensity have demonstrated the potential for hearing damage for those in the immediate area. The county siren coverage plan may specify a maximum sound intensity that is more restrictive.
(d) In order to ensure overall safety for the residents of the county in which severe weather warning sirens are installed, installation shall comply with all of the manufacturer's recommendations and guidelines since these outline the:
(1) maximum coverage areas to be serviced by the outdoor warning system;
(2) correct usage of the system components; and
(3) recommended actions for both maintenance and regular system testing.
(Department of Homeland Security; 290 IAC 2-1-7; filed Aug 8, 2012, 10:43 a.m.: 20120905-IR-290110666FRA)
290 IAC 2-1-8 Conditions for activation of severe weather warning sirens
Authority:
IC 36-8-21.5-9
Sec. 8. (a) The standards and guidelines in this section outline potential conditions under which severe weather warning sirens shall or may be activated in order to alert people to an imminent weather hazard and prompt them to take shelter. The decision of whether to activate severe weather warning sirens is a local decision, to be made by the officials described in section 6 of this rule. This local decision making process shall be outlined in the county siren coverage plan.
(b) Severe weather warning sirens shall be activated in areas for which the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a tornado warning.
(c) Severe weather warning sirens may be activated, in the absence of an NWS tornado warning, when reliable reports from law enforcement, trained weather spotters, or other public safety officials indicate a tornado has touched down in the area.
(d) Severe weather warning sirens may be activated during a severe thunderstorm warning, but only if destructive winds of seventy-five (75) miles per hour or greater have been confirmed.
(e) Severe weather warning sirens may be activated under other circumstances as defined and identified within the county's siren coverage plan.
(f) Severe weather warning sirens shall not be activated merely because the NWS has issued a tornado warning for a neighboring county.
(g) Once severe weather warning sirens have been activated, counties shall not utilize sirens to send an "all-clear" tone. There are many other methods to advise the public of an all clear, which are less likely to confuse members of the public.
(h) Severe weather warning sirens shall be tested on a regular schedule (at least monthly) on Fridays at 11 a.m. local time using the same alert sound that is used during an actual emergency weather condition. Testing of sirens shall not be done if thunderstorms are in the area, to avoid confusing the public. Testing may be suspended if the temperature is less than thirty-two (32) degrees Fahrenheit to avoid the maintenance problems that might otherwise result.
(Department of Homeland Security; 290 IAC 2-1-8; filed Aug 8, 2012, 10:43 a.m.: 20120905-IR-290110666FRA)
290 IAC 2-1-9 Siren coverage report; content
Authority:
IC 36-8-21.5-9
Sec. 9. (a) The siren coverage report is the first step in the process of a county deciding to prepare a siren coverage plan under IC 36-8-21.5-13.
(b) A county legislative body may elect to prepare a siren coverage report at any time.
(c) A siren coverage report shall include a description of all existing and planned severe weather warning sirens in the county as of the date of the report including the information required under IC 36-8-21.5-11.
(d) The coverage report must contain the technical and other specifications for the severe weather warning sirens required under IC 36-8-21.5-11(b).
(Department of Homeland Security; 290 IAC 2-1-9; filed Aug 8, 2012, 10:43 a.m.: 20120905-IR-290110666FRA)
290 IAC 2-1-10 Submission of county siren coverage report
Authority:
IC 36-8-21.5-9
Sec. 10. (a) In order for a county to complete the process of finalizing their siren coverage report, the county must submit the report to the IDHS in accordance with IC 36-8-21.5-11. Not later than six (6) months after a county submits a report, the IDHS shall:
(1) review the siren coverage report;
(2) determine and advise the county if any information required under IC 36-8-21.5-11 is absent or not adequately addressed; and
(3) make any recommendations to the county that the IDHS determines to be necessary to ensure a comprehensive outdoor warning system exists within that county. The objective of the outdoor warning system will be to provide a timely and adequate alert and warning of severe weather conditions to all residents of the county either by being in range of a severe weather warning siren or by such other alternate means and methods as are provided for by the county.
(b) In accordance with IC 36-8-21.5-10, once a county has prepared a county siren coverage report, the county legislative body may request the assistance of the IDHS in the development of a county siren coverage plan. The IDHS shall assist the county in developing a siren coverage plan for the county, once the IDHS determines that the county's siren coverage report is complete.
(Department of Homeland Security; 290 IAC 2-1-10; filed Aug 8, 2012, 10:43 a.m.: 20120905-IR-290110666FRA)
290 IAC 2-1-11 Development of siren coverage plan
Authority:
IC 36-8-21.5-9
Sec. 11. (a) A county's decision to prepare a siren coverage plan is discretionary. If a county that has completed a siren coverage report decides not to prepare or to adopt a county siren coverage plan, the requirements for such a plan do not apply to that county. If a county decides to adopt a county siren coverage plan, that county's siren coverage plan shall comply with the provision of IC 36-8-21.5-13 and this section.
(b) A county's siren coverage plan must contain information concerning any areas in the county that are not within the range of an existing or planned severe weather warning siren, as identified by the county in its siren coverage report, which is to be kept current by the county as needed to provide an accurate and current assessment of the county's existing and planned severe weather warning sirens. For such areas, the siren coverage plan must contain the county's plan to notify such residents of emergency conditions by one (1) or more alternative warning methods such as weather radios or cell phone text messages. Any information contained in the county siren coverage report on the need for additional severe weather warning sirens will be included in the county siren coverage plan.
(c) A county's siren coverage plan must contain information concerning any areas within the county that are within the range of an existing severe weather warning siren if the IDHS has determined that the existing siren does not provide consistent or adequate coverage for the area. The coverage plan shall include the county's intended actions to address the deficiency in order to provide consistent and adequate coverage for that area.
(d) The county shall update the information provided in the plan to include any additional existing severe weather warning sirens that the county legislative body has determined do not provide consistent or adequate coverage for an area. The county shall provide the IDHS the test, activation, and failure rate data to support its determination and to assist IDHS in its determination required under section 11 of this rule.
(e) If IDHS has determined that a siren does not provide consistent or adequate coverage for an area, the county shall update the information in the county siren coverage plan to provide proof that the siren has been repaired or replaced.
(f) A county's siren coverage plan must contain any additional information that was not included in the county's siren coverage report and is necessary to provide for an accurate and current assessment of the county's existing and planned severe weather warning sirens and need for additional sirens. If any of the information in the county's siren coverage plan is no longer accurate, the county's siren coverage plan must contain revised information, sufficient to enable IDHS to make a determination of adequacy as required under section 10 of this rule.
(g) A county's siren coverage plan must also provide an estimate of the nature and location of new developments in accordance with IC 36-8-21.5-13.
(h) For each area in which the county siren coverage plan provides for the installation of a outdoor warning siren, the plan shall:
(1) subject to budgetary constraints, provide for the good faith effort to complete the installation within ten (10) years immediately following the date of the plan's adoption;
(2) identify the revenue sources and estimate the amount of the revenue sources that the county intends to use to acquire, install, and periodically test and maintain the severe weather warning sirens identified under section 7 of this rule;
(3) identify the county infrastructure agency that is to be responsible for making a good faith effort to acquire and provide for the acquisition, installation, the periodic testing, and the maintenance of each outdoor warning siren; and
(4) consider the following when acquiring, installing, maintaining, and testing their outdoor warning systems:
(A) Integration of severe weather warning sirens with other systems that focus on communications, mapping, and frequent integration of new technologies and best practices.
(B) Ensuring other forms and means of communicating warning are made available to populations who are hearing impaired.
(i) In preparing, or causing to be prepared, the county siren coverage plan, the county will consult with the IDHS or a professional engineer registered in Indiana under IC 25-31-1 as well as consult with each infrastructure and planning agency with jurisdiction in any area within the county.
(Department of Homeland Security; 290 IAC 2-1-11; filed Aug 8, 2012, 10:43 a.m.: 20120905-IR-290110666FRA)
290 IAC 2-1-12 Adoption of siren coverage plan
Authority:
IC 36-8-21.5-9,
IC 36-8-21.5-13
Sec. 12. (a) Before adopting the siren coverage plan prepared under this rule, the county legislative body must give the required legal notice or notices of and hold at least one (1) public hearing on the plan as provided for in IC 36-8-21.5-13.
(b) The county legislative body must publish a legal advertisement, in accordance with IC 5-3-1, containing a schedule stating the time and place of each hearing. The schedule must also state where the entire plan is on file and that it can be examined in its entirety for at least ten (10) days before each scheduled hearing. At the time the legal advertisement is placed, the county shall send a copy of the legal notice to IDHS, ATTN: executive director.
(c) After considering any comments made at the hearing, the county legislative body may adopt the plan as originally proposed or as modified by the county legislative body after the hearing. The plan shall then be submitted to the IDHS to enable IDHS to assist the county to implement the plan and, if available, obtain federal or other grants to enable the county to implement the plan.
(d) A siren coverage plan adopted under this section takes effect on January 1 after its adoption. Each county adopting a siren coverage plan shall incorporate the siren coverage plan into its comprehensive emergency management plan and capital improvement plan, as appropriate.
(e) In accordance with IC 36-8-21.5-14, the IDHS shall assist a county that adopts a siren coverage plan in its implementation of the plan and shall provide advice and guidance to counties of any federal grant opportunities that exist or that come into existence to enable the county to implement its plan. If an available federal grant is from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the IDHS will assist the county making a request to obtain such grant funding.
(Department of Homeland Security; 290 IAC 2-1-12; filed Aug 8, 2012, 10:43 a.m.: 20120905-IR-290110666FRA)
Hearing Held: June 25, 2012
Approved by Attorney General: August 7, 2012
Approved by Governor: August 7, 2012
Filed with Publisher: August 8, 2012, 10:43 a.m.
Documents Incorporated by Reference: None Received by Publisher
Small Business Regulatory Coordinator: George C. Thompson, Indiana Department of Homeland Security, Indiana Government Center South, 302 West Washington Street, Room W246, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204, (317) 234-7752, gthompson@dhs.in.gov
Posted: 09/05/2012 by Legislative Services Agency
DIN: 20120905-IR-290110666FRA
Composed: Apr 25,2024 3:38:07PM EDT
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