HomeMy WebLinkAboutNR032919KEMAF� OF
THE COUNTY OF KAUA'I
DEREK S. K. KAWAKAMI, MAYOR
T MICHAEL A. DAHILIG, MANAGING DIRECTOR
OF
News Release
For Immediate Release: March 29, 2019
KAUA'I EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
ELTON USHIO, ADMINISTRATOR
Tel (808) 241-1800
Fax (808) 241-1860
New, upgraded sirens to be included as part of April 1 monthly siren
testing on Kauai
Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and Kaua'i Emergency Management Agency
officials are advising the public that as part of ongoing system upgrades and coverage
expansion, several new Kauai outdoor warning sirens will be included as part of the April 1,
2019, statewide outdoor warning siren test.
New coverage areas will be provided by sirens at Kealia Kai and Oma`o 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 Oma`o Park are aware of the test ahead of time and
that they 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 Pavilion has had all major components replaced,
due to damage from a lightning strike, and it will once again be operational.
KEMA 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."
As a reminder, 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. The public may
contact the Kauai Emergency Management Agency at 241-1800 or kema(a)_kauai.gov to report
siren operation issues.