April 1, 2026
VERNON COUNTY, Wis. – Vernon County emergency officials are preparing for the spring severe weather season by scheduling a series of system wide tests for both digital and outdoor warning systems in early April.
Vernon County Emergency Management Director Brandon Larson announced the department will conduct a comprehensive test of the Everbridge Mass Notification System on Wednesday April 8 at 6 p.m. The system is designed to send critical emergency alerts directly to the public through phone calls text messages emails and a mobile app.
“Regular testing helps verify system reliability and ensures that our community is prepared to receive important information during emergencies such as severe weather public safety incidents or other urgent situations,” said Larson.
Larson noted that the April 8 event is strictly a test and requires no action from the public. During the test residents will receive a phone call originating from the number 608 637 5399. Officials encourage all residents to save that specific number in their phone contacts to ensure they recognize official county alerts and do not dismiss them as spam.
The digital notification test will occur just two days after the county begins its annual testing of outdoor warning sirens. The first monthly siren test of the season is scheduled for Monday April 6 at 11 a.m. The county traditionally tests the community sirens on the first Monday of each month from April through September to ensure the equipment is functioning properly. If inclement weather is present on testing day the test is postponed to the next suitable day.
Residents will also hear the outdoor sirens activate twice on Thursday April 16 as part of Wisconsin Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week. Statewide tornado drills will take place at 145 p.m. and 645 p.m. providing an opportunity for schools businesses and families to practice moving to designated storm shelters. If severe weather is expected on April 16 the drills will be rescheduled for Friday April 17.
Larson stressed the importance of understanding the different purposes of the county warning systems. He noted that outdoor warning sirens are designed primarily to alert people who are outside to seek shelter and gather more information. Siren effectiveness can vary greatly depending on wind direction wind speed and siren placement making them unreliable for waking people up or penetrating heavily insulated homes.
Because of the limitations of outdoor sirens officials strongly encourage residents to utilize multiple methods to receive warnings. The Everbridge system serves as a primary tool to fill that gap by sending direct notifications to personal devices.
“The Everbridge system is designed to quickly deliver critical alerts and instructions to the public,” said Larson. “If you do not receive the notification and would like to sign up for future alerts please visit the county website to sign in or contact Vernon County Emergency Management.”
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