The City of Excelsior is part of the Lake Minnetonka Regional Emergency Preparedness Plan. The South Lake Minnetonka Police Department (SLMPD) has primary responsibility for coordinating and implementing this plan for Excelsior as well as the cities of Greenwood, Shorewood, and Tonka Bay. This is done in partnership with the Excelsior Fire District (EFD), which serves these same four communities along with the city of Deephaven. The Emergency Operation Center for these communities is located at the South Lake Minnetonka Public Safety Facility in Shorewood. This state-of-the-art facility also service as headquarters for both the SLMPD and EFD. Residents can learn more about the services provided by these departments by going to www.southlakepd.com and www.excelsiorfire.org. Emergency preparedness is both an individual and community responsibility. Residents are encouraged to learn more about what they can do to prepare for a disaster by going to www.ready.gov .
Outdoor Warning Sirens
It is important to recognize that outdoor warning sirens are intended to alert individuals that are outside. These sirens are not intended and/or effective in alerting individuals in their homes or other building structures, especially with the higher construction standards of today where energy efficiency and sound proofing are paramount. Atmospheric conditions including wind speed and direction all effect the range of an outdoor siren. The best method for alerting individuals in their homes and other building is through a NOAA weather radio. Many of the deaths attributed to storms occur during the night when people are sleeping in their homes. A NOAA weather radio is designed to alert sleeping individuals when a sever storm is approaching. Weather apps for mobile phones are a more recent method of providing weather alerts.