A full acoustic testing of Orewa’s two voice-capable tsunami warning sirens was completed on Monday 23 November.
Auckland Emergency Management (AEM) General Manager Kate Crawford said the sirens were activated three times between 12 and 12.15pm and were measured for volume and clarity from eight sites around Orewa.
“The weather conditions on 23 November were ideal and acoustic testing was conducted with AEM staff on the ground to monitor the tests and provide qualitative feedback,” Kate said.
“Staff on the ground reported the sirens were understandable and the siren tone alert itself was clearly audible from their monitoring positions.”
Sound engineers will now analyse the data collected and make any final adjustments needed to maximise the reach of the sirens, she said.
“The sirens are already part of the regional alerting network and will now have an audible test twice a year with the rest of the siren network at the change of daylight savings.
“The connection between the sirens and the AEM network is continuously monitored and fortnightly ‘beep’ tests will ensure the speakers continue to operate as expected.”
The sirens are only “one of a range of alerting methods” AEM used to warn the public of a tsunami emergency.
“We will always use a range of different types of alerts to get the message out during a tsunami emergency.
“The sirens will help warn people in the evacuation zone who are outside enjoying the day, while the radio, TV, and Emergency Mobile Alert systems will help reach people who may be inside or distracted.”
Kate said if members of the public hear the siren, but are unable to understand every word, they should always check their mobile phone for an Emergency Mobile Alert, online sources, or the media to seek more information.
The Orewa sirens were previously tested on 27 September 2020 and were successful. However, poor weather on the day meant the final acoustic measurements could not be performed.
“The sirens are not sensitive to the wind and are designed to work well in a range of weather conditions. However, the acoustic testing equipment requires a still day to operate effectively.”
