Ruidoso Emergency Sirens: What They Mean and When You’ll Hear Them
The Village of Ruidoso operates an Outdoor Warning System (OWS) designed to alert residents in the event of an immediate, life-threatening evacuation, primarily related to wildfire danger. The single-toned sirens are an audible emergency warning system designed to notify people to evacuate the area immediately.
When You’ll Hear the Sirens
Wildfire Emergency Evacuation Orders
Sirens are activated only when an official evacuation order is issued due to a fast-moving wildfire and immediate evacuation is required.
Monthly System Tests
To ensure functionality, the system is tested on the 1st and 15th of each month at 5:00 PM. These routine tests are not emergencies.
Why Sirens Aren’t Used for Flood Events
Flash flooding is a different type of emergency that often develops and recedes quickly. For these types of events, we rely on communications via text alerts, weather alerts, phone calls, social media posts, and our RAIN (Ruidoso All-Hazards Information Network) map.
Sounding the sirens too frequently or for multiple types of emergencies can lead to confusion and desensitization during actual fire evacuations.
How to Stay Informed About All Emergencies
Ways to get emergency alerts and information:
Select your preferred contact method (Email, Text, and/or Voice Alerts), Language Preference, and Preferred Weather Alerts (as a minimum, we suggest: Fire, Flood / Flash Flood and Winter Storm).
Once you’re signed up, save 833.419.3463 as “CallMeRuidoso” if you have selected Voice Alerts.
Save 38276 as “CallMeRuidoso” if you have selected Text Alerts.
Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS)
Enable notifications
From the National Weather Service
Social Media
Follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/villageofruidoso
National Weather Service Albuquerque; https://www.facebook.com/NWSAlbuquerque
Local Media
Tune into KRUI The Mountain - FM 99.1 & AM 1490
NOAA Weather Radio
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from the nearest National Weather Service office. NWR broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts, and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
NWS staff produce Weather Radio broadcasts. NWS neither manufactures nor sells receivers. You can buy receivers at many retail outlets such as electronics, department, sporting goods, and boat and marine accessory stores and their catalogs as well as online.
Outdoor Warning Sirens (OWS)
In the event of a wildfire, the above measures remain in place, and the OWS sirens will be activated only when an official evacuation order is issued due to a fast-moving fire and immediate evacuation is necessary.
Looking Ahead
The Village of Ruidoso is actively evaluating ways to enhance our emergency communication system, including exploring multi-tone siren signals or digital signage that can distinguish between fire and flood alerts in the future.
Remember to stay informed and protected by signing up for multiple emergency alert notifications. Having backup means multiple safety nets!
