194 sirens installed across Jordan to boost public safety — CDD

AMMAN — The Civil Defence Department (CDD) has installed 194 sirens across Jordan in a nationwide project, a CDD official said on Wednesday.

Some 112 sirens were installed in the capital during the first phase of the project, which was launched in 2014, said CDD Media Director Brig. Gen. Farid Sharaa.

Further sirens were fitted in Amman and in Irbid, Mafraq, Aqaba, Balqa, Madaba and Jerash in the second phase, which is coming to a close, Sharaa told The Jordan Times.

Sirens will be fitted in the remaining governorates in the third and final stage, which will conclude in 2017, he added. 

The newly installed sirens will be tested in Irbid and Mafraq on Thursday morning and in Aqaba, Madaba and Balqa next week, according to the CDD official. 

The siren network was established in Jordan in 1984, Sharaa said, noting that high quality alarms are now available due to technological advances. 

Heavy snowfall during the last winter in Amman presented an opportunity to test the new sirens, he explained, adding that a team of engineers worked to resolve technical issues.

The sirens, which are equipped with loudspeakers, were used to warn the public of road closures as a result of snowfall or frost formation.

The sirens can transmit computerised voice messages, which are stored in the system for various circumstances, directly to the public. 

The project seeks to ensure public safety by warning the public of any natural disasters or security threats, the official said.