Section 290IAC2-1-11. Development of siren coverage plan

   (a) A county's decision to prepare a siren coverage plan is discretionary. If a county that has completed a siren coverage report decides not to prepare or to adopt a county siren coverage plan, the requirements for such a plan do not apply to that county. If a county decides to adopt a county siren coverage plan, that county's siren coverage plan shall comply with the provision of IC 36-8-21.5-13 and this section.

  (b) A county's siren coverage plan must contain information concerning any areas in the county that are not within the range of an existing or planned severe weather warning siren, as identified by the county in its siren coverage report, which is to be kept current by the county as needed to provide an accurate and current assessment of the county's existing and planned severe weather warning sirens. For such areas, the siren coverage plan must contain the county's plan to notify such residents of emergency conditions by one (1) or more alternative warning methods such as weather radios or cell phone text messages. Any information contained in the county siren coverage report on the need for additional severe weather warning sirens will be included in the county siren coverage plan.

  (c) A county's siren coverage plan must contain information concerning any areas within the county that are within the range of an existing severe weather warning siren if the IDHS has determined that the existing siren does not provide consistent or adequate coverage for the area. The coverage plan shall include the county's intended actions to address the deficiency in order to provide consistent and adequate coverage for that area.

  (d) The county shall update the information provided in the plan to include any additional existing severe weather warning sirens that the county legislative body has determined do not provide consistent or adequate coverage for an area. The county shall provide the IDHS the test, activation, and failure rate data to support its determination and to assist IDHS in its determination required under section 11 of this rule.

  (e) If IDHS has determined that a siren does not provide consistent or adequate coverage for an area, the county shall update the information in the county siren coverage plan to provide proof that the siren has been repaired or replaced.

  (f) A county's siren coverage plan must contain any additional information that was not included in the county's siren coverage report and is necessary to provide for an accurate and current assessment of the county's existing and planned severe weather warning sirens and need for additional sirens. If any of the information in the county's siren coverage plan is no longer accurate, the county's siren coverage plan must contain revised information, sufficient to enable IDHS to make a determination of adequacy as required under section 10 of this rule.

  (g) A county's siren coverage plan must also provide an estimate of the nature and location of new developments in accordance with IC 36-8-21.5-13.

  (h) For each area in which the county siren coverage plan provides for the installation of a outdoor warning siren, the plan shall:

(1) subject to budgetary constraints, provide for the good faith effort to complete the installation within ten (10) years immediately following the date of the plan's adoption;

(2) identify the revenue sources and estimate the amount of the revenue sources that the county intends to use to acquire, install, and periodically test and maintain the severe weather warning sirens identified under section 7 of this rule;

(3) identify the county infrastructure agency that is to be responsible for making a good faith effort to acquire and provide for the acquisition, installation, the periodic testing, and the maintenance of each outdoor warning siren; and

(4) consider the following when acquiring, installing, maintaining, and testing their outdoor warning systems:

(A) Integration of severe weather warning sirens with other systems that focus on communications, mapping, and frequent integration of new technologies and best practices.

(B) Ensuring other forms and means of communicating warning are made available to populations who are hearing impaired.

  (i) In preparing, or causing to be prepared, the county siren coverage plan, the county will consult with the IDHS or a professional engineer registered in Indiana under IC 25-31-1 as well as consult with each infrastructure and planning agency with jurisdiction in any area within the county. (Department of Homeland Security; 290 IAC 2-1-11; filed Aug 8, 2012, 10:43 a.m.: 20120905-IR-290110666FRA)