New indoor tsunami sirens added to Northland alerting options

New indoor tsunami sirens are now available to alert people who live, work or holiday along Northland’s coast.

The indoor plug-in sirens feature a loud alarm as well as a flashing blue light for the hearing impaired and alert people in evacuation zones of a pending tsunami. They will be available from Wednesday, 13 June.

“We’re introducing them for those who, for whatever reason, may be unable to hear local outdoor tsunami sirens,” says Victoria Harwood, spokesperson for the Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group.

The indoor sirens are being sold (at cost) for $155.25 (incl GST) and can only be purchased in person, at the Northland Regional Council (NRC) Water Street, Whangarei office. Purchasers must have a brief face-to-face introduction to their new indoor siren’s use before taking it away.

The sirens – about the size of a small lunchbox – have been developed by Northland CDEM Group and Northpower (which assembles them in Whangarei) over the last year.

The indoor sirens only operate on either Northland’s Northpower or Top Energy networks and are synchronised to operate with the region’s 191 outdoor tsunami sirens. Both will sound simultaneously in the event of a genuine tsunami warning and during regular twice-yearly regional testing (at the start and finish of daylight saving).

“Purchasers must make sure to buy the correct indoor siren designed to operate in their local power network, otherwise they won’t work,” Mrs Harwood says.

To check whether the Northland building being considered for an indoor tsunami siren is in a tsunami evacuation zone, enter its street address at www.nrc.govt.nz/evacuationzones

To hear the indoor siren’s sound or for more information visit  www.nrc.govt.nz/tsunamisirens