Winchester chimes will sound for 10 seconds at noon Monday, July 5. This is the monthly test of the six All Hazard Alert Broadcast Sirens in Clallam County. The chimes will be followed by a voice message declaring:

"The following is a test of the siren warning system. It is only a test. This is a test of the siren warning system.

If this had been a real emergency, you should tune in your radio to your local radio station or listen to this system for further instructions. This was only a test."

These sound tests are run on the first Monday of each month to verify the system's capabilities to send timely warning notification to the coastal communities of Clallam, Jefferson, Pacific and Grays Harbor counties. This test is a key component of Clallam County's Tsunami Ready Program.

The AHAB sirens to be tested are in Dungeness, Diamond Point, LaPush, Neah Bay, Clallam Bay, Lower Elwha and West Port Angeles.



Wrong message

The All Hazard Alert Broadcast Sirens sounded an erroneous message during the June monthly test. New controller software had been installed to expedite the AHAB warning message to all 50 sirens in Washington. Instead of playing the routine test script, the sirens sounded the Westminster chimes, a wail siren tone and incorrectly announced various messages related to volcanoes, tsunamis and hazardous materials.

At all times, the AHAB system still would have been able to sound the actual tsunami warning message and siren tone if there had been a real emergency alert broadcast.

A smooth test is expected on July 5. Those who hear the siren test are asked to call in information regarding the chimes, the voice announcement and where they were when they heard the test siren. Information can be left throughout Monday and Tuesday following the test with Clallam County Emergency Management at 417-2525 or 417-2483.

Tsunami background information is available at www.clallam.net/Emergency

Mgmt/html/links.htm.