Flood Horns, Sirens, and Alerts

Please sign up now to receive emergency alert messages on your mobile phone, home phone, and/or by email throught the "Alert Marin" system.  Operated by the Marin County Office of Emergency Services, this is an important tool year-round, alerting you to possible emergencies and threats based on the locales you select when signing up.

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The Town of San Anselmo maintains a flood horn located in the Town Hall tower.  The horn is audible from most areas subject to flooding.  The horn is sounded when flooding is imminent, approximately 13.5 feet.  Town staff will sound the horn with 5 blasts, a pause, 5 blasts, a pause and 5 blasts.  A protocol with Fairfax and Ross dictates that if they sound their flood horns or sirens, San Anselmo will activate their horn as well.  If you hear the flood horn: evacuate to high ground; avoid downtown and low-lying areas.  The Town Manager and Police Chief will make the decision to sound the horn based on written policy and observed conditions.  The Fire Department does not sound or maintain the horn.

Please contact Fairfax Police Department with questions about the siren.  The protocol is to sound the flood siren when flooding is imminent.  When the siren is sounded, residents and merchants are advised to proceed immediately to a higher floor or to higher ground. A protocol with San Anselmo and Ross dictates that if they sound their flood horns, Fairfax will activate their siren as well.  The Town Manager and Police Chief will make the decision to sound the siren based on observed conditions.  The Fire Department does not sound or maintain the siren.

The Town of Ross sounds a flood horn when flooding is imminent, which in Ross is typically 19 feet.  When the horn is sounded, residents and merchants are advised to proceed immediately to a higher floor or to higher ground.  A protocol with Fairfax and San Anselmo dictates that if they sound their flood horn or sirens, Ross will activate their horn as well.  The Town Manager and Police Chief will make the decision to sound the siren based on observed conditions.  The Fire Department does not sound or maintain the horn.

If you hear a flood horn or siren, it does not mean come downtown to see the creek or move cars or merchandise to higher areas.  It is too late.  Seek higher ground immeditely.  Prepare NOW.