A test of the tsunami warning communications system will be conducted on Wednesday morning, authorities said today.
The test will be conducted at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the State of California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, said Ken Kondo of the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management.
NOAA’s National Weather Service offices in Monterey, Oxnard and San Diego will broadcast the “Required Monthly Test,” which also will be broadcast on the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards, local television and radio stations.
Kondo cautioned that some television stations are programmed to scroll a standard emergency alert text message, and in some cases the visual message may not contain the word “test.”
An audio message will say that the message is only a test, but if the volume is turned down or otherwise unheard, viewers may not realize it is a test, Kondo said.
The test will be canceled if there is excessive seismic activity 24 hours prior to the test, Kondo said.
During Tsunami Preparedness Week, which continues through Friday, NOAA and emergency managers will be promoting tsunami safety and awareness.
More information is available at these NOAA tsunami websites: www.tsunami.noaa.gov ; www.tsunami.gov ; www.weather.gov/tsunamisafety ; NOAA’s National Tsunami Warning Center website, http://ntwc.arh.noaa.gov/ ; and social media website at http://www.weather.gov/socialmedia .
In Los Angeles County, people may call the toll-free 211 number for emergency preparedness information and other referral services, or they can visit http://211la.org .
