Tone alert radio tests from Morrow center fail

This story was published Thu, Aug 30, 2001

By the Oregon Bureau

The gray radios played just part of the normal emergency signal then squealed loudly, said Cheryl Humphrey, spokeswoman for the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program.

Humphrey said officials tried twice to send the message from the Morrow County Emergency Operations Center with the same result.

But the radios worked fine when activated successfully from the Umatilla County Emergency Operations Center in Pendleton.

The tone alert radios are used to notify the public in case of emergencies at the Umatilla Chemical Depot and of possible weather emergencies.

After Wednesday's test, Humphrey said two residents called the Hermiston Police Department and the Umatilla County Emergency Operations Center to see if there was something wrong with their radios.

"We are currently checking into why we were unable to sent the test from Morrow County," said Bill Howard, the tone alert radio coordinator for the counties. "Although today's test did not go as originally planned, it gave us a chance to demonstrate our ability to utilize an alternate location to quickly send messages if needed."

The weekly tests can be sent from Umatilla County's dispatch center, Morrow County's dispatch center, the Hermiston Safety Center and the Umatilla Chemical Depot Emergency Operations Center. The tests are rotated among the four sites.

 

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