Emergency Tornado Sirens Sound Across Ashland Due to System Glitch, Officials Say
ASHLAND, Ohio — Residents across Ashland were startled today when emergency tornado sirens sounded unexpectedly, prompting a wave of concern and questions throughout the community.
After looking into the situation, local officials confirmed the activation was not due to severe weather, but rather a technical malfunction currently under investigation.
According to Anne Strouth, Director of the Ashland County Emergency Management Agency, the sirens were triggered by a system issue, and the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office is actively working to determine the cause.
Ashland County Sheriff Kurt J. Schneider said early indications point to a software-related glitch within the communications system, not human error.
“We don’t know exactly what happened yet. It was a glitch in the system,” Schneider explained. “It automatically toned out Perrysville Fire Department and set off other alerts as well. Dispatchers weren’t even interacting with the system at the time—it just activated.”
Schneider added that the issue may be linked to Central Square, the software platform used for emergency communications and dispatching, which routinely undergoes updates.
“They do updates to the system, and sometimes things happen,” Schneider said. “We’re not sure yet, but it could be related to that. We are working with the software company to figure out exactly what caused it.”
At this time, the Sheriff’s Office and EMA are continuing to investigate the malfunction alongside the software provider to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Residents are reminded that when sirens sound, they should always take them seriously and seek additional information through official channels until the situation is confirmed.
Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
