Siren test scheduled for Thursday in Benton, Franklin Counties

Thursday, October 18, 2018, is the Great American Shakeout-- an opportunity to test your earthquake preparedness.

In addition, emergency management agencies in Benton and Franklin Counties, along with the Department of Energy and Energy Northwest, will test their emergency alert sirens.

The sirens are located along the Columbia and Yakima Rivers, and in areas of Benton and Franklin Counties.

On Thursday, only those sires within the 10-mile emergency planning for the nuclear power plant will be tested.

"The sirens are located from Vernita Bridge to the north, all the way down to Leslie Groves Park, and then along the Yakima River out towards Horn Rapids," said Sean Davis, Emergency Manager for Franklin County. "There's also a significant amount in Franklin County within ten miles of the nuclear power plant."

Davis says the siren testing will begin with Benton County sometime between 10 am and noon, in conjunction with a test of the Emergency Alert System at 10:18 am, which is part of the Great American Shakeout.

For residents in Benton and Franklin Counties, it's also an opportunity to test the Code Red system, an electronic telephone notification system that will contact residents in the event of a local emergency.

Only residents that have registered with Code Red for their respective county, and are within 10 miles of the Columbia Generating Station, will receive the notification on Thursday.

To sign up for Code Red, visit the Benton County or Franklin County websites.