Residents across parts of San Luis Obispo County may hear emergency sirens next week as officials conduct routine testing of the county’s Early Warning System.
The low-volume “growl” tests are scheduled for Oct. 13 and 14. Each siren in the Diablo Canyon Emergency Planning Zone will be tested individually for just a few seconds.
Officials say the testing is routine and no action is required from the public.
The tests help emergency officials verify that the siren system is working properly in case it is needed during an emergency.
While the sirens were installed and are maintained as part of requirements tied to the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, they can be used for a variety of emergencies. Those may include tsunamis, dam failures and other natural or human-caused disasters.
If the sirens sound during an actual emergency, it means the Emergency Alert System has been activated. Residents should then tune to local television or radio stations for emergency information and instructions.
The Early Warning System covers an area from Cayucos in the north to the Nipomo Mesa in the south.
Communities within the coverage area include the Five Cities, Avila Bay, See Canyon, Price Canyon, Baywood Park-Los Osos, San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay.
Officials noted that the sirens are only one of several methods that may be used to alert and notify the public during an emergency.
More information about local alert and notification systems is available at ReadySLO.org/Alerts.