Siren testing slated for Saturday, Sept. 29
PULLMAN – Sirens will be sounding repeatedly on the WSU Pullman campus from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, as tests and adjustments are made to the university’s new outdoor campus siren/public speaker system.
The siren manufacturer Acoustic Technology Inc. Systems of East Boston, Mass., will be running the test. The speakers were installed in August on five building rooftops at Webster, Carpenter, Holland Library, Plant Bioscience 1 and Central Stores.
The siren/speakers provide the Pullman campus with an alert system that can reach campuswide in minutes, independent of the internet or phones. Each siren is rated at 115 decibels, according to Facilities Operations officials. By comparison, a jet engine revving 100 meters away is rated at 110-140 dB.
The system also enables university officials to make live announcements through the speakers or activate one of a series of preprogrammed announcements.
“Ultimately, when the sirens and announcements go off in an actual emergency situation,” said Chris Tapfer, WSU emergency management coordinator, “we want everyone to get into the habit of seeking shelter and getting more information.”
For additional information, please contact Tapfer at 335-7471.
