NOAA NWS Press Release - The document to be sent to the media to announce the upcoming test.
Contact:
Audrey Rubel
907-271-4767
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2010
Alaska Tsunami Warning System Test Scheduled
Emergency Alert Activation Part of Tsunami Awareness Week
NOAA and its emergency management partners will be conducting a statewide test of the tsunami
warning communications system on Wednesday, March 24 at 9:45 a.m. Alaska Daylight Time.
The emergency test will be broadcast on NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards, local television and
radio stations, and residents in some communities may hear warning sirens. To avoid any confusion with
an actual alert the test will be canceled if there is excessive seismic activity 24 hours prior to the test.
Many television systems are programmed to scroll a standard emergency alert text message and
in some cases, the message may not contain the word “TEST.” An audio message will say that the
message is only a test, but if the volume is turned down or otherwise unheard, viewers may not realize the
message is a test.
People monitoring the test in coastal areas who do not receive it are asked to inform their local
National Weather Service office. The public can provide feedback online at http://www.tsunami.gov/test.
The test is part of Tsunami Awareness Week, proclaimed by Gov. Sean Parnell as March 21 to
27, and is a cooperative effort of NOAA’s National Weather Service, Alaska’s Division of Homeland
Security and Emergency Management, Alaska Broadcasters Association, and local emergency
management officials.
During Tsunami Awareness Week, emergency managers urge coastal residents to review
information on what to do in the event of a tsunami. NOAA’s West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning
Center Web site, http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov, offers complete information, including the current status of
tsunami watches, warnings and advisories. A list of frequently asked tsunami questions and answers can
be found at http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/faq/frequently.php.
NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean
to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources. Visit
http://www.noaa.gov.
On the Web:
NOAA’s West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center: http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov
NOAA’s National Weather Service Alaska Region: http://www.arh.noaa.gov
Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management:
http://www.ak-prepared.com