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Emergency siren testing still scheduled for Friday in Hilo, Pahoa

Nina Wu

A previously scheduled siren testing for Hilo and Pahoa will proceed as planned on Friday, according to the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

The test, which takes place between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday was scheduled and announced prior to the mishap on Wednesday evening, when a false siren was accidentally activated across Oahu and in Kahului, Maui.

The siren tests on the Big Island are scheduled for Friday at the MacKenzie State Recreation Area in Pahoa and Hilo Hillsides Estates.

Residents nearby may hear the siren sound for 30-second to 3-minute intervals during the identified timeframe. Testing will also include short blasts known as “burps.” During the tests, Emergency Management officials and technicians will be checking the functionality of the sirens.

Shortly after 5 p.m. on Wednesday, a brief sounding of the siren warning system occurred across Oahu and in Kahului, Maui, followed by notices that there was no emergency or cause for alarm. The false alert for a tsunami was mistakenly activated during a Honolulu Police Department training exercise. HPD has issued an apology.

The sirens to be tested on Friday are part of HI-EMA’s ongoing All-Hazard Outdoor Warning Siren Program, which is updating some, and installing others, at various locations across the state.

Residents with concerns about the sirens, or reports of siren malfunctions, may contact the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency at 935-0031.

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