Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Alerts topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee clarifies tsunami alert types, debates siren value and costs
Summary
Committee members distinguished local versus distant tsunami alerts and advised residents on appropriate responses; the meeting also discussed recent siren installs in Lincoln City, cost concerns (one figure cited ~$1,000,000) and whether sirens create false security or draw crowds.
Committee members explained tsunami alert differences to attendees, distinguishing local tsunamis (which can arrive in minutes after ground shaking) from distant events that provide hours to prepare. They advised residents to follow established evacuation plans for local events and to consult county maps and Everbridge for official guidance.
"A local tsunami is 12, 15 minutes... The 1 that you need to not go to bed for is the 1 that knocked you out of your bed," a Committee member explained, stressing that immediate action is required for a local event. The group pointed residents to the City of Depoe Bay website and Lincoln County Everbridge for maps and preparedness materials.
Members also debated siren systems. One participant noted Lincoln City's recently installed sirens but questioned cost and effectiveness — saying sirens can cost about "$1,000,000" and, in some historical cases, have attracted curious onlookers rather than facilitating rapid dispersal. The committee discussed balancing the expense and operational limits of sirens against other notification methods and local geography.
