Two new warning sirens on Big Island part of monthly test set for 11:45 a.m. on Thursday

Hawaiʻi’s monthly test of the all-hazard Statewide Outdoor Warning Siren System is scheduled for today at 11:45 a.m. and it will include two new sirens in Waikōloa Village on the Big Island.  

The sirens at Puʻu Nui Park and Kamakoa Nui Park were recently installed.

“These new sirens are a welcomed addition to our island’s emergency notification system,” Hawaiʻi County Mayor Kimo Alameda said. “They represent another step forward in keeping our communities informed and safe. During an emergency, timely alerts can make all the difference, and these sirens will help ensure that our residents can take action when it matters most.” 

The May 1 siren test will be coordinated with a test of the Live Audio Broadcast segment of the Emergency Alert System. It will also be the first test of the two new sirens in Waikōloa Village located at Puʻu Nui Park and Kamakoa Nui Park.

During this monthly test, all Statewide Outdoor Warning Sirens will sound a one-minute  Attention Alert Signal (steady tone). A test of the Live Audio Broadcast segment of the Emergency Alert System is conducted at roughly the same time as the monthly siren sounding, in cooperation with the Hawai‘i broadcast industry.

These sirens are one part of the Hawai‘i Statewide Alert and Warning System used to notify the public during emergencies. If you hear this siren tone in circumstances other than a test, follow emergency information and instructions provided by official government channels. These may be in the form of a local radio or television station broadcast and/or a cellular Wireless Emergency Alert.

Wireless Emergency Alerts deliver sound-and-text warnings to compatible mobile cellular phones. The Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alert notifications are sent via the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, the nation’s alert and warning infrastructure, managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Emergency management and disaster preparedness information may be found in the “Get Ready” section of ready.hawaii.gov, as well as in the front section of telephone directories in most counties. For the latest information from the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency or to sign up for county alerts, visit ready.hawaii.gov.

The public may contact emergency management and county civil defense agencies to report siren operation issues through the following numbers.

City and County of Honolulu: 808-723-8960
Maui County: 808-270-7285
Kauaʻi County: 808-241-1800
Hawaiʻi County: 808-935-0031