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PRESS RELEASE. From the San Mateo County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) on December 30th, 2024.
Hello San Mateo County Residents,
The San Mateo County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) wishes you a safe and happy New Year!
As a reminder, January 1, 2025 (New Year’s Day) falls on the first Wednesday of the month. On every first Wednesday at 10 a.m., the County conducts a test of the Coastal Tsunami Warning Sirens at full volume. Many residents may have never heard the sirens tested because they are not in the area at the time (usually at work).
San Mateo County’s coastline is equipped with 8 Tsunami Sirens: 3 in Pacifica, 4 along the mid-coast, and 1 in Pescadero. These sirens are activated only when a tidal surge from a seismic event is imminent. They serve to let anyone in the Tsunami Hazard Zone know to head to high ground immediately. This can be done by walking or taking a short drive away from the water.
To see if you live in the Tsunami Hazard Zone, check the yellow zones on the map linked here: Tsunami Hazard Map. The high ground is marked in green.
The sirens are designed to be heard outdoors in Hazard Zones, but may also be heard in non-hazard areas. Therefore, it is important to know in advance if you live or work in a Tsunami Hazard Zone. During an actual emergency, the website may get overloaded, so look up your area on the Tsunami Hazard Zone Map here: Tsunami Hazard Map
If you’re in the area at 10 a.m. on Wednesday January 1, 2025, please take the time to familiarize yourself with the alert tone of the Tsunami Siren by listening to the live siren or to this audio: Tsunami Siren Wail Sound. This sound is different from the other types of sirens you hear from emergency vehicles or the “Hi-Lo Time to Go” sirens which are strictly used when an area needs to evacuate.
Regardless of the hazard, we encourage you to prepare your family with an all-risk emergency plan and have a Go-Bag ready to evacuate at any time. Be sure to include environmental hazards like weather, seismic events, and wind-driven fires in your planning. Understanding your potential alerts and hazards—whether or not they directly impact your area—can help you better prepare.
Summary: This TEST of the Tsunami Sirens is exactly the way the siren will sound during real danger of a tsunami approaching. The test is to let people know what the sirens sound like, and to ensure the equipment is working.
During an actual emergency, when you get an alert or hear the Tsunami Siren, it is best to grab your Go Bag and walk to higher ground – away from the water – to safety.
Wait until you get the “all clear” from officials before returning to lower areas.
Do you live or work in a low-lying area? Look up your address now: Tsunami Hazard Map.
Author: Coastside Buzz
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