MANSFIELD — Vasu Communications Inc. on Tuesday was awarded a $193,837 contract to upgrade the 44 tornado sirens operated by the Richland County Emergency Management Agency.
County commissioners approved the Vasu proposal, which will upgrade the county’s network of tornado sirens to digital from the current VHF status. It will paid for from the county’s share of the American Rescue Plan Act funds.
“This project will enhance communications and functionality of the sirens,” county EMA Director Rebecca Owens said.
The work is expected to be complete by the end of May 2025.
Owens said the upgrade will include control boards to activate sirens via the same statewide digital Multi-Agency Radio Communication System (MARCS) used by safety forces around the county.
“It will also monitor siren status for activation via computer browser interface (with an internet connected computer),” Owens said.
“In the near future, the City of Mansfield Fire Department will be transitioning to MARCs, which will put all safety services on the MARCs system.”
The local EMA chief said Vasu has also performed upgrades to sirens in Ashland County and the City of Seven Hills. The county has worked with Vasu on its tornado warning sirens in the past.
Owens, hired in December 2022, said in March that improving tornado sirens in the county was one item she was tasked with not long after being hired.
When Owens began she said there were eight non-working sirens and 20 that needed some kind of repair.
She acknowledged that Richland County residents have a variety of ways to be notified of tornadoes and inclement weather.
“The sirens are still utilized as a means of receiving emergency notifications in Richland County, especially in more rural areas of the county,” she said, mentioning the county’s RCAlerts system, weather radios and media outlets.
“Having more than one way to receive alerts is good practice. Outdoor sirens are not intended to be heard indoors.”
The upgrade does not include four sirens maintained by the City of Shelby.
It also does not include the City of Mansfield, which has no tornado sirens within city limits.
Commissioner Tony Vero said he has spoken about tornado sirens with Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry, who took office in January.
“As you know, it’s still early in her administration, but we have had discussions and it is on her list,” Vero said.
Richland County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jim Sweat, who helped lead the MARCS conversion for first responders around the county, said in March that a digital system has many advantages over VHF, including reliability and economics.
“The purpose of us leaving the VHF system that we had was that it was not nearly as robust or as well maintained as what we are on now with the MARCS system,” Sweat said.
The only other proposal for the upgrade came from Cleveland Communications, Inc. for $2,764,980.
“The scope of their proposal did not align with the project specifications and the cost was far more than the project budget,” Owens said.