Entergy is replacing the Indian Point siren and alert notification system which includes installing new poles and sirens where existing ones are currently located and in new locations.
Based on studies Entergy conducted on how sound travels within the area and the capabilities of the new siren system, there will be fewer sirens in total, though sirens have been added in several areas where in the past emergency notifications would have been done instead by other means. For example, in sparsely populated areas that are mostly parks, notification would have been done by local police departments. Since there will be fewer sirens in the new system, some of the current sirens will not be replaced and will be removed after the new system is tested and declared operational at the end of the year or in January of next year. This may include a siren near your home or business.
Contractors have been installing poles and sirens in the 10-mile emergency planning zone since this past spring. This activity is expected to be largely completed by the end of September. There will be 150 sirens compared to the 156 in the existing system.
Entergy recently updated representatives from Westchester, Rockland, Orange and Putnam counties, the New York State Emergency Management Office, the federal Department of Homeland Security and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on the Indian Point Energy Center Siren Installation Project.
The meeting was held at the Rockland County Office of Fire and Emergency Services. Entergy, and the siren system design firm, Acoustic Technology, Inc., briefed representatives on the increase in total number of sirens to 150, an increase from the original proposal, which planned for 131 new sirens. Entergy and ATI based this design change on acoustic studies and a change in federal regulatory guidance.
Most of the 19 new sirens will add coverage within IPEC's 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone and each county's geopolitical boundaries. The additional sirens will also help eliminate route alerting in public parks. Some of the new sirens will be powered by solar panels, and all will include batteries as a back-up power source.
The sound of the new sirens will be cumulatively more effective than the current siren system which rotates resulting in sound variations. With the new omni-directional system, the sirens will distribute sound more evenly because of the multiple stationary speakers on each pole. Please click on the photo to the right to hear a sample of the new siren sound.
Additionally, the new system will have two separate communications paths--radio and wireless cellular network--enhancing the system's reliability, eliminating single points of failure and verifying siren actuation within 1 to 4 minutes.
Using the cell system via wireless internet modems, each siren will report preliminary verification at the start of activation and final verification after all sirens have completed actuation and verification.
The installation of the new sirens, including poles, is expected to be completed this quarter. The switch from the old system to the new system will take place in early 2007, after testing and training of the new siren system is complete. Until the new system is complete, in an actual emergency authorized officials would use the old siren system to notify the public.
Below please find links to schedules, photos, FAQs, and other information and familiarize yourself with these important emergency planning communications tools. Because in the world we live in, emergency preparedness is everybody's business.
If you have any questions or would like additional information, please call 1-866-815-4507, or you can e-mail us.
Corporate
Profile: Entergy owns, operates and manages nine nuclear
generation plants that are among the safest and most professionally
operated energy facilities in the United States. Under
Entergy's experienced management, several of these plants
are rated among the best performing in the nation by the
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
For more information, visit www.entergy-nuclear.com.
