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| Unexpected money for tsunami sirens |
| By Steven Friederich - Daily World Writer |
| Thursday, March 16, 2006 11:17 AM PST |
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OLYMPIA — An unexpected boost in funding from the state Legislature means coastal communities will be getting more high-tech tsunami warning sirens than expected.
Instead of $500,000 to purchase at least 10 new sirens, as Gov. Chris Gregoire recommended in her budget proposal in January, legislators opted to give coastal communities up to $950,000.
The state money will complement $500,000 in federal funds secured by U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell.
Altogether, the $1.45 million should purchase at least 30 sirens statewide. It’s not known how many new sirens Grays Harbor will specifically get though at least seven are tentatively scheduled, said county Emergency Management Director Anne Sullivan.
Pacific County Emergency Management Director Stephanie Fritts was unavailable.
The state has been working to upgrade the warning systems since last summer when a faulty phone line at Ocean Shores failed to trigger several practice alerts. The phone lines have since been replaced and the siren repaired.
On Sunday, Cantwell will visit Ocean Shores and talk about the tsunami siren system and the funding she secured last fall. The money was appropriated to the state a few months ago.
Federal funds will pay for two additional sirens at Ocean Shores and two for Long Beach in Pacific County, which currently has no siren warning system. The Quinault Indian Nation, the Shoalwater Indian Tribe and Surfside at the tip of the Long Beach Peninsula will each receive one. Clallam County is also receiving two sirens, and Port Townsend one.
Sullivan said the $450,000 extra money from the state was allocated specifically to more sirens and taken out of money that was to go to a tsunami awareness campaign.
Even so, tsunami awareness workshops in Ocean Shores, Hoquiam and Westport will go on April 4 to April 6.
“We still need public education, but we welcome the funds for the sirens,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan said state officials have not decided how to spend the $950,000 in state money yet though Grayland, Ocean City, Westport and Ocean Shores will likely get additional sirens.
“I’m sure that Hoquiam will also get a siren out of the money that has not yet been allocated,” Sullivan said. “Rest assured Hoquiam is at the top of the list.”
Several Hoquiam City Council members, the mayor and County Commissioner Al Carter have been lobbying for at least one siren in Hoquiam.
Each siren costs between $45,000 and $50,000, Sullivan said. The sirens can be powered by batteries, solar cells or wind generators and are resistant to saltwater corrosion and gale-force winds, Rob Harper, a spokesman for the state Emergency Management Division said.
Maj. Gen. Timothy Lowenberg, head of the state’s emergency operations, has said an additional 90 tsunami warning stations would provide full coastal protection.
Tsunami sirens have already been installed in Port Townsend, Neah Bay, La Push, Ocean Shores, Westport and Aberdeen.
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