In November 2023, the Newcastle Emergency Management Department applied for funding through a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant to add three additional outdoor warning sirens. City officials said they are excited to share that Newcastle was awarded the grant.
This grant requires a 75/25 match, meaning FEMA covers 75% of the cost and the City of Newcastle is responsible for the remaining 25% to install the sirens.
To ensure the best placement, Newcastle Emergency Management worked with a third-party engineering firm to conduct a coverage survey. Locations were selected based on:
• Current gaps in siren coverage • Current population growth
• Future residential and commercial growth New siren locations will be installed at:
• S.E. 32nd St. & Portland Ave.
• S.E. 16th St. & Portland Ave.
• Fire Station #3 at N.W. 24th St. and
SIRENS on page 2 Council Road Officials said if all goes as planned, installation will be completed and the new sirens will be included in the Saturday noon weekly tests.
SIRENS: City says use multiple weather sources
They also said to remember that outdoor warning sirens are not intended to be your first or only warning. They are designed primarily for people who are outdoors. The best way to stay informed is to have multiple ways to receive alerts, including: • Local TV and radio
• Social media
• NOAA weather radio
• CivicReady, a free emergency notification service provided by the City of Newcastle (sign up via the City website or Facebook page) Officials said thank you to the Emergency Management team for their continued dedication.
