Don't Freak Out: Emergency Siren Test Scheduled for Oct. 19

The following is the text of a press release from the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station:

The annual test of the Community Alert Siren System will be conducted Wednesday morning, Oct. 19 by Southern California Edison (SCE), in the cities of Dana Point, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, as well as Orange County, the California Department of Parks and Recreation and Marine Corps Base, Camp
Pendleton.

Between 10 a.m. and noon, 50 sirens located in the communities around the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station will be activated several times for approximately three minutes each time. The sirens sound a continuous steady tone distinguishing them from those used by fire and police departments.

“Protecting the health and safety of workers and the public is our highest responsibility,” said Southern California Edison Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer Pete Dietrich. “In a real emergency the siren system would alert residents to turn on their radio or TV for emergency response information from their community leaders. Other sources of emergency information include city websites and our community website, www.SONGScommunity.com.”

The sirens also could be used by local government officials to inform residents of a non-nuclear emergency.

Flyers and other educational materials explaining the test have been distributed to residents, businesses, and schools in the area. Before and during the siren test, broadcasts on Orange County’s primary Emergency Alert System radio station, KWVE 107.9, will inform the public of the test.

CORRECTION: Because of a reporting error, the date of the siren test was misidentified in an earlier version of this article.