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Committee recommends not pursuing tsunami sirens; council discusses alternate notification and neighborhood preparedness
Summary
Depoe Bay’s emergency‑preparedness committee reviewed the possibility of installing tsunami sirens but recommended against pursuing sirens because of cost, maintenance and practical limitations. The committee and council discussed alternative notification methods and neighborhood volunteer preparedness.
Depoe Bay’s emergency‑preparedness committee discussed tsunami sirens and broader notification strategies on Aug. 19 and recommended the city not pursue sirens at this time because of cost, maintenance challenges and limited benefit in a major Cascadia event.
Committee members said sirens are expensive, can be difficult to maintain and require human activation; in a major quake or tsunami scenario they argued residents should "run for the hills" rather than expect a central siren alert. The committee also noted examples from other coastal cities and recounted conversations with Lincoln County emergency staff, who similarly cautioned that sirens carry practical limits.
Members urged improved notification tools short of sirens, such as targeted email/text notification (Everbridge was discussed), increased public education for visitors and residents about evacuation routes and neighborhood preparedness efforts. The committee said it will continue to develop a community‑volunteer framework for localized response and to pursue public‑education events (the committee plans an October "ask the expert" event focused on preparedness). Councilors asked staff to pursue improved notification options and to continue outreach to the county and state emergency managers for coordinated messaging.
No formal ordinance or procurement decision was made during the meeting; the committee’s view was presented as a recommendation to the council.
