At 10 a.m. on Tues., May 4, Pierce County Emergency Management will test its five new All-Hazard Alert and Broadcast (AHAB) lahar sirens, as well as 12 upgraded warning sirens. This drill will test the new siren equipment and monitor sound coverage throughout the valley.

At the designated time, outdoor warning sirens will wail for approximately one minute. The sirens are located in Fife (four), Orting (four), McMillan (one), Puyallup (four), Riverside (one), Alderton (one), and Sumner (two). This drill will be the first test of this newly integrated system. Only the 17 new and upgraded sirens will be tested. Some jurisdictions still have the older style of sirens that are not connected with this new system and will not be part of this test. Some schools may coordinate at least partial evacuation drills with this test.

To coincide with this drill, Emergency Management will test another new program, Pierce County Alert. This new system is a mass communication tool that allows the County to call landlines during emergencies or other significant events. Several days prior to the siren drill, Emergency Management will call residents of the Puyallup Valley to remind them about the test. Puyallup residents will be notified by their own mass notification system. County residents will eventually be able to opt-in other devices to receive these messages as well as?? cell phones, e-mail, texts, etc.

During the 2008 Legislative Session, Pierce County received funds to replace, upgrade and connect the lahar sirens along the Puyallup Valley, so they can be tested and launched from a single location.

There will also be a test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) simultaneously so residents can expect to hear an EAS message over their radios, televisions, and All Hazards NOAA radios. Radio station 1580 AM will also broadcast a lahar test message.

The locations of the new and upgraded sirens are:

I. Fife

— Fife Public Works, 3725 Pacific Hwy.
— Pump Station, 2100 Pacific Hwy.
— Emerald Queen Casino, 5700 Pacific Hwy.
— 70th Ave E, 70th Ave. E. and 43rd St. E.

II. Orting

— Pump Station S. side of Orting, 18711 SR 162
— City Hall, 110 Train St.
— Ptarmigan Ridge School, 805 Old Pioneer
— Soldiers Home, 1301 Orting Kapowsin Hwy. E.

III. Orting/McMillan

— McMillan Area, 13102 SR-162

IV.Puyallup

— Puyallup Fair and Events Center, 110 9th Ave. S.W.
— Linden Golf & Country Club, 2519 E. Main
— Fire Station Headquarters, 902 7th St. N.W.
— Pump Station/Methodist Church,1919 W. Pioneer

V. Riverside

— Chief Leschi High School, 5625 52nd St. E.

VI. Sumner/Alderton

— McAlder Elementary, 15502 96th St. E.

VII. Sumner

— Sumner High School, 1707 Main St.
— Sumner Industrial District North, 24th St. E. and 142nd Ave. E.