Civil Defence siren test postponed

Napier Civil Defence has postponed its scheduled siren test on September 25 to avoid alarming tourists visiting Napier for the Rugby World Cup.

With the match between Japan and Canada at McLean Park held just two days after the siren test, there will be a number of tourists visiting Napier. Napier Civil Defence Manager, Angela Reade says it would be insensitive to sound the sirens when the memories are still raw from the devastating March earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

“The test is postponed only for a few months,” Angela says. “We don’t want to cause unnecessary alarm for the tourists.”

The postponement means that the next test of the city’s 16 sirens will include the new siren due to be erected at Hawke’s Bay Airport in October.

“All drawings, materials etc. are ready to go. We are just waiting for concession to use the land by the airport and then it will be underway. It will be great to test the new siren at the same time as the others to ensure we have closed the gap identified from previous tests around this area.”

Despite the siren test being postponed, Angela says the daylight saving changeover is still an ideal time for people to change stored water, check smoke alarm batteries and emergency survival kits when they put their clocks forward on September 25.