LIHUE As part of ongoing system upgrades and coverage expansion, several new Kauai outdoor warning sirens will be included as part of Mondays statewide outdoor warning siren test.
LIHUE — As part of ongoing system upgrades and coverage expansion, several new Kauai outdoor warning sirens will be included as part of Monday’s statewide outdoor warning siren test.
New coverage areas will be provided by sirens at Kealia Kai and Omao Park, while new, upgraded legacy siren replacements include Wailua Homesteads Park, Waipouli Waikaea Canal, Kaumakani Neighborhood Center and Kekaha Gardens.
“Being that these are new siren coverage areas, we want to ensure that our residents and visitors in the vicinity of Kealia Kai and Omao Park are aware of the test ahead of time and that they are not be alarmed to hear them,” said Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami. “Also, people in the vicinity near the new, upgraded sirens should benefit from expanded coverage areas, as the newer units are taller, multi-directional and are significant improvements over the older, legacy sirens.”
In addition, the siren at Anini Beach Park pavilion has had all major components replaced due to damage from a lightning strike, and will once again be operational.
Kauai Emergency Management Agency Senior Staff Officer Chelsie Sakai added, “While these new sirens are operational, they are yet to be formally acceptance-tested by our partners at HI-EMA and the state contractor, which will take place mid-April. We’re considering the test on April 1 as a dry run.”
Monthly testing of the statewide outdoor warning siren =system is done in conjunction with a test of the live audio broadcast segment of the emergency alert system at 11:45 a.m. on the first county/state government workday of the month.
