Montecito fire officials to test siren alert

By ERIC LINDBERG — Jan. 28, 2010

Montecito residents who hear a high-pitched siren tomorrow shouldn’t fret, as Montecito Fire Protection District officials are planning to hold a demonstration of an emergency notification system.

The siren test, which will be followed by a short spoken message, will take place between 11 a.m. and noon along East Mountain Drive between Cold Springs and Coyote roads. Authorities urged residents not to call 911 following the demonstration.

Fire officials said they have been researching several types of audible alerts after community members requested an early warning system following the Tea fire. The fire district is in the process of evaluating various options for purchase.

“It could be used for fire, it could be used for hazmat, it could be used for tsunami,” said Geri Ventura, a spokeswoman for the fire district. “Obviously, the biggest reason we’re doing it is due to the fires.”

Sirens, horns, tones and voice alerts are among the options, and fire officials said they are hopeful that a combination of a siren and voice alert will provide adequate emergency notice to residents in the area.

The siren is audible up to 2 miles from its location, although that distance will depend on topography and atmospheric conditions. The recorded voice message will be audible up to 2,000 feet from the device’s location.

If the demonstration is favorable, fire officials said they would consider purchasing and installing several warning devices throughout the community. Ventura said tomorrow’s test is the first of several with different companies and alert systems.

She added that regardless of the specific type of warning equipment that might be purchased by the fire district, residents should be aware of a variety of sources for emergency information.

The district currently uses a reverse 911 alert system, text message alerts, a low-power radio station at 1680 AM, its website www.montecitofire.com, and the local media to issue emergency alerts.

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