On the first Tuesday of the each month, Charleston residents hear sirens sounding around 10 a.m.

According to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, emergency sirens are to be regularly tested.

“Tuesday is the day designated by the state to ensure the sirens operate properly,” said Tom Watson, the coordinator of the Coles County Emergency Management Agency.

There are two kinds of sirens. A single tone siren alarms citizens of natural disasters like tornado warnings, severe thunderstorms or earthquakes. A wavering siren alarms residents of an attack on the United States.

The Coles County EMA was established in the late 1950s and was originally used to alert residents of tornados, thunderstorms and nuclear attacks, said Watson.

There are currently sirens stationed in Mattoon, Lakeland College, Charleston, Eastern’s campus, Lerna, Ashmore and Oakland.

Ronnie Amyx, the deputy coordinator of Coles County EMA, said that these sirens are intended for outdoor use.

However, there are also indoor emergency notification receivers that the EMA has placed in nursing homes, hospitals and one on Eastern’s campus.

Amyx said all residents should have a NOAA weather radio in their homes, which can be purchased at Best Buy or Radio Shack.

They can pick up weather warnings produced by the National Weather Service or the Coles County EMA.

People indoors should also watch and listen to their televisions and radios for warnings posted by the National Weather Service.

The Coles County EMA has about 26 trained volunteer weather spotters, said Amyx.

The National Weather Service offers training to all citizens, and classes are usually offered in the spring.

These weather spotters are sent all over the county when the National Weather Service station in Lincoln instigates a tornado, thunderstorm or flood warning.

If heavy winds, massive hail, or funnel clouds are spotted, the siren is set off by the EMA.

Many of the volunteers are also people who work at the fire and police departments.

“The mayor of Charleston is one and so is the mayor of Lerna,” said Amyx.

The EMA offers classes that educate the public and city officials in emergency management, hazardous materials and responding to emergencies and give speeches to different organizations.

To find out more information or schedule a speaker call 348-0581.

Kaitlyn Peters can be reached at 581-7942 or at kdpeters@eiu.edu.