Lahar Warning System Will Sound New Chimes Monday

PIERCE COUNTY, WA — An upgrade to the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management's outdoor warning sirens will have the sirens sounding very different during their monthly test Monday.

The change is part of an upgrade to the warning system, adding new sirens and new audio for the siren's monthly test. The upgrades were completed in September, but officials cancelled October's monthly Lahar Siren test to give themselves time to educate the public and make sure everyone is aware they've changed the siren sounds before setting them off— hopefully avoiding any undue panic the new sounds might cause.

When the new sirens sound Monday, they will begin with a voice explaining, in English and Spanish, that the following noises are only a test.

After that will be a series of tones that PCDEM describes as "similar to a Westminster chime on a clock."

In an actual emergency, the sirens will make the classic "wailing" noise as heard in the video below, similar to the noises they made during the regular monthly tests before the upgrade.

There are a total of 42 sirens spread across the Puyallup and Nisqually river valleys. The county says those sirens are critical to protect the lives of tens of thousands of residents who live in areas threatened by lahars.

If Mt Rainier erupts, experts predict it could cause large volcanic mudslides, or lahars, to flood the valleys, wreaking havoc on any homes that lie in their wake. After Rainier erupts, it could take as little as 40 minutes or up to 3 hours before the lahars arrive: by sounding the sirens as soon as Rainier erupts, they hope to maximize the amount of time residents have to safely evacuate.

Concerned residents can also sign up to have a Pierce County ALERT sent to their phone in case of an eruption or other emergency.

Read more about the Outdoor Warning System on Pierce County's website.