Garland is planning to replace its storm sirens, but they will not be ready to sound until at least next year.
The city's sirens are not operational and were silent during last week's severe weather. Garland is buying 26 replacement sirens, but the city is still in the bidding process.
"Had the city had an actual tornado, that would have been devastating for our city," said Mollie Rivas, of Garland Emergency Management. "However, the sirens wouldn't have prevented that, and all the other mechanisms we used were already reaching our citizens to get indoors."
Garland Emergency Management said its multilayered warning system with social media, CODE-RED reverse 911 and weather radios worked without sirens.
"We feel like the response went exactly the way it was supposed to, and we're very fortunate," Rivas said.
Resident Wanda Chance said it could have been worse.
"I'm concerned about it, and I would appreciate it if they would do something about it so the neighbors would be safe, including myself," she said.
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Neighboring Mesquite sounded its sirens six times when an EF-0 tornado hit the city. Garland's neighbor has 25 sirens in place, and some residents said the sound gives them a sense of security.
"It makes me feel better to have sirens," Patricia Reyna said. "If we didn't have them, I wouldn't have known; maybe I would have been outside and caught in the middle of one."
"It really comes down to having more than one way to receive warning," said Raymond Rivas, of Mesquite Emergency Management. "Sirens are great when you're outdoors, but they're not effective when you're inside your home or business."
