Photo by South OC Beaches

The annual siren test for the recently retired San Onofre nuclear plant will take place today Wednesday October 15 2014.

The nuclear plant’s Community Alert Siren System will involve the cities of Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, as well as other areas of southern Orange County, nearby state parks and the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

“Protecting the health and safety of workers and the public remains our most important responsibility,” said Tom Palmisano, vice president and chief nuclear officer for Southern California Edison (SCE), majority owner of the nuclear plant.

Fifty sirens will sound several times in the communities around the San Onofre nuclear plant from 10 a.m.-noon and will last about three minutes each time. The sirens sound a continuous, steady tone, making them noticeably different from those used by fire and police departments.

Flyers explaining the test are being distributed to residents, businesses and schools in the area. Before and during the siren test, broadcasts on Orange County’s primary Emergency Alert System radio station, KWVE 107.9, also will inform the public of the test.

The sirens are activated by Orange County, the cities of Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, state parks officials and Camp Pendleton. The sirens also could be used by local government officials to inform residents of a non-nuclear emergency. In the future, sirens will not be required after the NRC approves San Onofre’s revised emergency plan reflecting the plant’s permanent shutdown.

SCE announced in June 2013 that it would retire San Onofre Units 2 and 3, and has begun preparations to decommission the facility. SCE has established core principles of safety, stewardship and engagement to guide decommissioning. For more information about SCE, visit http://www.songscommunity.com.

For more information please link to Siren Test