Full-volume tsunami siren test Wednesday

A full volume test of the coast side tsunami warning sirens is scheduled for 10am on Wednesday  

Seven sirens will be tested on Wednesday: in Princeton, El Granada and Miramar, Pescadero, Linda Mar Beach, Rockaway Beach and Sharp Park.   An eighth siren is operational in Half Moon Bay but will not be sounded during this test. 

Sirens are tested monthly for 15 seconds at low volumes at 10am on the first Wednesday of each month.  The full volume test will last about one full minute and allow the sirens to reach their peak sound level.

In an emergency, the sirens will sound continuously for several minutes.  Should this occur, people should listen to their radios (KCBS 740 AM or KQED 88.5 FM) for official information and instructions.   

The new siren units are far more sophisticated than the old "Civil Defense" sirens of decades ago.  Computer modeling was used to determine the appropriate volume for the given environment.  The sirens use computer controllers to provide constant monitoring of their vital systems.  They also incorporate "green technology" as they derive all of the power they need to operate from solar panels.