911 Director explains why tornado sirens sound

The activation of tornado warning sirens in Trumbull County last night has raised a few questions. 21 News looked into why sirens went off in so many areas, when the storm threat was in an isolated section of the county.
The warning was issued at 10:58 p.m. when National Weather Service doppler radar picked up rotation in a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado. 21 News Chief Meteorologist Eric Wilhelm pint-pointed the area over Eastern Trumbull county.
However, when the 9-1-1 dispatch center receives a tornado warning from the national weather service, they have a prescribed protocol to follow.
"At that point in time, what we do is, our protocol is to set off the county EMA tornado sirens," said Ernest Cook, Trumbull 911 Director.
The 9-1-1 dispatch center controls sirens in 14 different locations around Trumbull County.
"In the rural areas, the city of Warren, city of Niles receive that same notification from the National Weather Service and follow their protocol and set the sirens off also," said Cook.
He also points out that Trumbull County is the second largest county in the state.
"625 square miles, so, you can have something happening an event down south or up north that wouldn't affect the other ends of the county, but the protocol is to set all the sirens off," said Cook.
It's a rather safe than sorry approach, and Fred Theordore who lives just feet from a siren in Howland said he never questions why it sounds.
"I'd rather have it blaring then not know about it, and then something happens. Then you're going to cry and complain, 'How come the sirens weren't on?'. I'd rather have them on," said Theordore.