Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 18, 2019

SIREN TESTING ON HAWAI’I ISLAND – SEPTEMBER 20, 2019

HAWAI’I COUNTY — The Hawai’i Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA), together with the Hawai’i County Civil Defense Agency, will conduct siren testing at the following locations and times on Friday, September 20, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

• MacKenzie State Recreation Area – Pahoa, Hawai’i
• Hilo Hillsides Estates – Hilo, Hawai’i

Residents nearby may hear the siren sound for 30-seconds to 3-minute intervals during the identified timeframe. Testing will include short blasts known as “burps.” During the tests, Emergency Management Officials and Technicians will be checking the functionality of the sirens.

These sirens were installed as part of HI-EMA’s ongoing All-Hazard Outdoor Warning Siren Program. Other sirens will be updated, and new sirens installed, at various locations across the state under this Program.

The All-Hazard Outdoor Siren Warning System for Public Safety is one part of Hawai’i’s Statewide Alert & Warning System used to notify the public during pending emergencies.

HI-EMA encourages the public to make use of other supplemental methods of warning including signing up with the Hawai’i County Civil Defense mass emergency notification system called Blackboard Connect, and utilizing NOAA Weather Radio.

Residents with concerns about the sirens or their operations, or with reports of siren malfunctions, may contact the Hawai’i County Civil Defense Agency at (808) 935-0031.

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Contact:
Arlina Agbayani
Public Relations Officer
[email protected]
808-620-5423

Hawai’i Emergency Management Agency
[email protected]