Transcript Warning systems workshop - Tillamook County, Oregon

State of the Siren Warning
System
Why are we here
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Siren funding questions
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Maintenance of current system
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How do we pay for it, Who pays for it
Opportunity for replacement sirens
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$100,000 county wide for 30 sirens plus the
control system – Do we want it?
Questions for the Workshop
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What part do Sirens play in the county
warning system?
How much should the County and Cities
invest in the sirens?
How do we pay for the sirens?
How do we coordinate the maintenance
and repairs to assure operation?
Where do Sirens fit into public
warning systems
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Reverse 911
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Available all over, reliable
Needs Phone system
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Other - Local volunteers and/or police
with loudspeakers going Door-to-Door
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Good for getting message to anybody
with a radio or tv turned on.
Requires that emergency personnel and
volunteers enter the danger zone.
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Require the internet and phone
systems to work
Tsunami Sirens
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EAS (Emergency Broadcast system)
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E-mail, Twitter, Nixle, Text
messaging
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NoAA Weather Radio
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Delivers a custom message to land
lines based on geographic area
Can cover the entire county in about 2
hours
Does not work geographically with Cell
Phones
Needs Internet plus Phone systems
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Good for getting peoples attention
Funded by Cities, Fire Departments,
County and other local agencies
Approximately 11,000 people live in
range of a siren
Approximately 2700 people live
within the inundation zone
Approximately 4500 visitors daily are
within the inundation zone*
* Average over the year – More in summer, Less in
Winter
** From 2000 census – Could be Plus 100%
Current Siren Warning system
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31 Tsunami Sirens
Sirens By Agency:
 Bay City
 Rockaway Beach
 City of Manzanita
 City of Garibaldi
 City of Nehalem
 Tierra del mar Owners Assoc
 USFS
 State Parks
 Twin Rocks Friends Camp
 Netarts Fire
 County
Total:
•
# sirens
2
5
2
2
3
2
1
1
1
4
8
----31
Population*
1,500
2,400
800
900
1,400
136
70
4
470
1,000
2,400
--------11,000
Plus an average 4500 visitors each day in the inundation zone countywide
Two Types of Sirens
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Standard Siren
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Motorized (110V or 220V)
Radio activated
No Voice capabilities
About a 1 mile range
$5000 new
Electronic siren
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Speakers
Radio Activated
Can do voice announcements
Battery powered
About a 1 mile range
Up to $25,000 new
Siren Controllers
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Two styles
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OLD style – Circa 1960s
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Transistors
Mechanical 3 minute timer
Not programmable
Wideband channels only
NEW Style – Modern controller (All controllers need to
be updated to this style to meet FCC rules)
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Programmable via computer
Non-mechanical – no moving parts
Meets FCC new Narrowband channel rules
Note: FCC requires narrowband channels by January 1st, 2013
Examples of current status
Systems in place
Siren Operations
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Call to 911 for activation
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From Local Emergency Manager
From NoAA via State Warning point
911 operator “Presses the button”
Primary System if available, Secondary if not
 Sheriff has tertiary activation capabilities
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County radio relays command to all sirens
Sirens sound 3 minute signal automatically
Systems in place
Siren Maintenance
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Owners are responsible for:
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County program is responsible for:
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Twice yearly performance testing
County maintains relay radio for activation
County maintains tertiary activation system
County coordinates test reporting
911 maintains
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Electrical costs
Repairs/Replacement
Reporting on test day
Primary and secondary activation system
Communications link to State OEM for notification
No agreements exist
Expected performance of the
warning systems
Near shore earthquake and Tsunami
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Likely failure of power, telephone, Internet
and transportation systems
Possible failure of 911/county radio system
20 minutes for notification via NAWAS, NWS,
EAS systems (if they work)
Expected performance of the
warning systems (cont’d)
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Distant earthquake
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No shaking felt locally
No infrastructure damage, all systems work
Tsunami Watch issued (20 minutes)
Tsunami Warning issued when wave is verified
Will receive wide Radio/TV coverage
Wave arrival times and height’s predicted
Weaknesses of the current siren
system
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Funding –
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Not all the owners have or are willing to spend the money for
maintenance
Funds compete with other needs like Police, Fire trucks, and
Parks
Age/Maintenance
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Constant maintenance needs
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Rust, Age, Updates
Replacement planning
maintenance costs
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Electric
Visual Inspection
Electronic Tests
Operational Tests
Test reporting
Repairs
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$200 to 300
$ 20
$ 40
$ 240
$1200
Replace hood
R&R radio with spare
Repair/Replace Cutoff switch
Replace motor Head
Replace Relay
Replace Radio with New
/year/Siren
/year/Siren
/year/Siren
/year
/year
$1200
$ 85
$1200
$3000
$1200
$2700
County spending
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06-07
07-08
08-09
09-10
10-11
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Estimated maintenance is $1000/siren/year
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year
year
year
year
year
* Projected budget amount
$ 6,500
$38,000
$ 3,000
$ 3,000
$ 15,000*
Other Impacts
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NWS – Tsunami Ready
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Sirens are one of the accepted means of warning
dissemination.
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www.tsunamiready.noaa.gov/guidelines.htm
Need two methods of dissemination– Sirens are ONE of our
systems.
Flood Insurance Rating System –
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Tsunami damage is considered “Flood” damage and
falls under the NFIP
FEMA provides better rates for Tsunami Ready
Communities, 30 points.
Options for the Siren System
1.
Eliminate the siren warning and activation system completely. Build
public education campaign instead.
2.
County/911 maintain only the activation system, local agencies must
support and pay for the sirens. No standards, County/911 only provide
the activation signal.
3.
Establish a Fund for siren maintenance and care. Each jurisdiction/district
pays a fixed amount per siren per year into the fund, or they are pulled
out. The fund takes care of all the sirens. Agreements will be established.
Only sirens within the fund are allowed for Tsunami use.
4.
Maintain Current status – Private ownership of sirens. Sirens may be
pulled out when private parties or jurisdictions cannot raise funds for
maintenance; County/911 maintain activation system; County maintains
twice yearly certification testing program.
5.
Improve and expand the system for more coverage and better sirens –
Funding unknown.
Questions for the Workshop
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What part do Sirens play in the county
warning system?
How much should the County and Cities
invest in the sirens?
How do we pay for the sirens?
How do we coordinate the maintenance
and repairs to assure operation?