Statewide siren drill held following recent warning

In the wake of Tuesday’s tsunami warning, the monthly test of the all-hazard Statewide Outdoor Warning Siren System will take place today at 11:45 a.m.

According to the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency, there are over 400 towers located throughout the state of Hawai’i.

During an emergency, sirens emit a steady “Attention Alert Signal.” This was the case on Tuesday when Hawai‘i issued a tsunami warning following an 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Russia.

The sirens blast at 121 decibels. The system is designed to be heard up to 3,400 feet or about 2/3 of a mile from the siren.

The sirens form the most extensive integrated outdoor siren warning system in the world, designed to alert communities to various hazards, including tsunamis, wildfires, and hurricanes, dam breaches, or other major threats.

Most towers are solar-powered with battery backup, ensuring functionality even during power outages or disasters. The sirens are tested on the first business day of each month and are owned and operated by the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency.

If you hear this siren tone in circumstances other than a test, follow emergency information and instructions provided by official government channels, as instructed by HIEMA officials.

These may be in the form of a local radio or television station broadcast and/or a cellular Wireless Emergency Alert.

During this month’s test, the siren will be coordinated with a test of the Live Audio Broadcast segment of the Emergency Alert System.

There will be no exercise or drill accompanying Friday’s test.

To sign up for county alerts, click here.

For an interactive status map of the siren towers, their layout, and the current state of each siren, click here.

The public is also urged to contact emergency management and county civil defense agencies to report siren operation issues by contacting 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