April 8, 2026   

Contact:           Paula Van De Leygraaf

                        Emergency Management Director

                        Office:    (920) 832-6361

                        [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Outagamie County to Resume Saturday Outdoor Siren Testing

APPLETON, Wis. — Outagamie County Emergency Management will resume its audible outdoor warning siren test on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at noon.

Residents are encouraged to share this information widely to help prevent unnecessary calls to 911.

Outdoor warning sirens are designed to alert people who are outdoors to take shelter or seek additional information. They are not intended to be heard inside homes or businesses. For indoor warning and severe weather notifications, Outagamie County encourages residents to use a NOAA Weather Radio and/or a trusted weather alert app on their phone.

In addition, Wisconsin’s annual statewide tornado drills will be held on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. as part of Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week. These drills give residents, schools, businesses, and organizations an opportunity to practice their severe weather and tornado sheltering plans.

Outagamie County will activate the outdoor warning sirens for both statewide drills on April 16.

Residents are encouraged to treat the drills as if an actual tornado warning were in effect and move to the safest available shelter location. The best tornado shelters include:

• A basement
• A ground-floor interior room
• A specially constructed safe room designed to withstand high winds and falling debris

For more information about NOAA Weather Radios or general emergency preparedness, please contact the Outagamie County Emergency Management Office at (920) 832-6361.

Questions about a specific outdoor warning siren location should be directed to the appropriate municipality.