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Denver To Test New And Updated Emergency Sirens On Wednesday

DENVER (CBS4) - Residents in and around Denver shouldn't be surprised if they hear warning sirens on Wednesday.

The city plans to test 56 new sirens and 21 updated sirens at 11 a.m.

"With new siren locations that provide better coverage, people who have not previously noticed siren testing may hear the testing," officials at Denver's Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security said in a statement.

The tests will last around three to five minutes. Other sirens will be tested throughout the day.

There has been an increase in the number of tornado warnings in Denver recently -- from an average of two per year in 2001 through 2008 to six per year in 2009 and 2010.

"Sirens may seem 'old school,' but are still the fastest way to alert people in a wide area -- particularly with an active population that enjoys the outdoors like we have in Denver," officials said.

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