Heads Up If You Hear Sirens Tomorrow It’s Only a Test!

Don't panic if you hear sirens tomorrow...Here's why

– Emergency sirens will be activated for an emergency drill on the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site tomorrow, April 19, 2018.

The sirens will be activated between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. in the 100 Area of Hanford, near the Columbia River, east of Vernita Bridge, and approximately 27 miles north of Richland. People near the 100 area may hear the sirens sound, but no response is required.  Sirens will also be activated in the 200 Areas in the central portion of the Site, but these sirens are not generally heard off the Hanford Site.

Public address announcements that "this is a drill message" will be made prior to and following the siren tone. In the event of a real emergency, county officials would activate the Emergency Alert System to broadcast information to the public via local radio and television stations. Sirens located along the Columbia River would also be activated if necessary to warn people on the Columbia River.

Periodic emergency drills and siren tests are conducted at Hanford facilities as part of an ongoing program to test emergency equipment and train workers on emergency response procedures.