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Tsunami siren testing in Ucluelet on Wednesday, May 9 from 1-3 p.m.

— Residents are encouraged to complete a survey with feedback following the test
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The District of Ucluelet will be testing a pilot tsunami siren system in different locations on May 9 at the following times: 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. (District of Ucluelet Photo)

The District of Ucluelet will test an emergency siren warning system on Wednesday, May 9 every half hour between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

The District will also be testing its emergency notification services, to cellphones and landlines, at 10 a.m., reminding residents of the siren testing.

The siren will sound at a different location during the testing period. Following the testing, residents and businesses are being asked to complete a survey updating the district of where they were and what they heard.

“We’ve set it up so you can easily provide feedback. We’ve created a drop down menu of choices for neighbourhood that you’re in at the time, depending where you are at the different testing times and then you can rate what you’ve heard from your location,” said District of Ucluelet’s CAO Mark Boysen.

“That will provide us with valuable feedback that we can use to help figure out what we want to do with siren planning for the future. It helps us determine how many sirens we may need, what locations would be best for putting them in. We will be able to report back to the community and to council on the results from this testing.”

The survey will be available at www.ucluelet.ca. A hard copy of the survey will also be available at the Ucluelet Community Centre (500 Matterson Dr.). Community neighbours Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ, Port Albion and other Area C residents are also encouraged to share their experiences during the test.

Following the Jan. 23, 2018 tsunami alert event, the District of Ucluelet recognized that a new tsunami warning system is needed to improve notification to residents during an emergency, states a press release. The City of Port Alberni has loaned the District of Ucluelet one of their back up sirens for Wednesday’s testing exercise.

The tsunami siren testing is taking place during Emergency Preparedness Week (May 6 -12, 2018).

For more information, please contact the District of Ucluelet at 250-726-7744 or email info@ucluelet.ca.